


The Sun Princess

by dickard23



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Canon, Drama, F/F, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-23
Updated: 2016-02-22
Packaged: 2018-02-10 03:04:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 51
Words: 50,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2008506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dickard23/pseuds/dickard23
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With the help of an evil spirit, Ozai goes back in time to win the war and take over the world, inadvertently giving Azula a chance to redeem herself and find happiness. She will learn the difference between who she thought she was and who she was meant to be. How will the war end the second time around and what will this all mean for the Gaang?</p><p> </p><p>The canon is no more. Starting with Boiling Rock everything changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> World’s End is a small cave at the edge of a deserted island where the boundary between the physical world and the spirit world is weak.
> 
> Oren Li - The Fire Nation avatar before Yangchen
> 
> Jaki- The Earth Kingdom avatar before Oren Li
> 
> BG- Before Genocide
> 
> AG- After Genocide

11000 BG 

It was midnight. Tui snuck out of her bedroom window and made it to the river where a cheerful Agni was waiting.

  “I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to make it.”  

“You knew I would. I just had to wait for Aphrodite to turn her stupid head. She’s always watching me.”

“It must be your glow,” he said as he kissed her. “I bet it gives you away.” 

Her arms wrapped around him. “I wish we didn’t have to hide this from everyone.” 

They hadn’t even told La, their best friend. 

“The Spirit rules are stupid. We haven’t failed to be spirits because we fell in love.” 

“I know, Ag, but they’ll flip if they find us.” 

10,000BG 

Eventually, the other spirits did find out and to keep the lovers apart, Agni was assigned to the sun and Tui to the moon. She cried as their last day together drew near. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, was her best friend. She didn’t want to do this, but the others were adamant they be separate. There was only one thing for her to do. She went to her friend and gave her a vial. 

“What’s this?”

  “It will allow you and Agni to be together, even when you’re apart. Drink this before you see him tomorrow.”

Venus didn’t explain what the vial would do, but Tui would do anything to hold onto her love. 

9800BG 

Wan became the first Avatar. He worked to bring harmony to the world, but he died feeling like a failure. “I couldn’t do it.” 

“Don’t worry Wan. We’ll have our chance. We will be side by side for many lifetimes.” 

500 BG 

A loud shriek echoed, bouncing off the ice and the sea. A warrior hit the ground, blood oozing from his chest. The ice beneath the man breaks, the water beneath the ice was bended to raise the wounded man to a looming giant. The giant mended the man’s chest and then set him to the side.

  “THIS ENDS NOW!”  

The warring men came to a halt. The avatar was here. 

Relieved and scared, the men backed away from each other. Hopefully this conflict could be resolved without any more violence.  

Jaki realized the wounded man needed more help than his limited healing abilities could provide. He went looking for a healer and found an old woman who could help. He saw piercing blue eyes and instinctively followed them with his green eyes. The girl confronted him. “It’s your fault he’s like this.” 

 “I didn’t stab him.” 

 “No, you just took forever to get here.” 

The girl was furious. They had been trying to heal the wounded for weeks. Where was the Avatar? 

“I’m sorry. There was another conflict in Gaoling. It’s not easy getting here in winter.”  The girl stared him down defiantly.  “Kalli don’t be rude,” her grandmother scolded. “He’s doing the best he can.”  She pouted and went upstairs.

 “Don’t mind her. Her brother got wounded badly last week, and she’s been shaken up ever since.” His wound became infected, making him quite ill. 

“How is he?”  

“Better, now. The fever passed.”  He nodded and went to talk to the girl. Her door was open, so he walked inside. Her brown hair rested on the top of her shoulders. She sat down on the bed, staring at the floor. 

“I’m sorry about your brother,” he said, taking her out of her daze.  

“I shouldn’t have snapped at you. It’s not your fault. The different tribes have been feuding for months. It just went too far this time.” 

When Kalli looked in his eyes, she saw sincerity. He was also quite handsome, with his strong jawline and short dark hair. She wanted the fighting to end soon, but hopefully, he could stay for a while afterwards. 

450BG 

A young man was juggling fire ball while he was dancing around on an air ball. The crowd was loving it. He danced about, pretending to set himself on fire, just to put it out on the last second. At one point, a spectator thought he was on fire and threw water at him. Oren Li froze the water before it turned his fire into steam.  He ended his performance and everyone cheered. 

The women threw themselves at him. The men all wanted to be his friend. Oren was on top of the world. When he looked behind him, he saw a girl out by herself.  He ran out to her and when she turned around, he was surprised to see how beautiful she was. Golden eyes and raven black hair, she was clearly a noble. 

“You missed my performance,” he said, wondering who she was and why she was by herself.

  “I don’t remember getting an invitation,” she retorted. 

 “I sent one to your house,” he fibbed. “I guess it’s time for a new messanger hawk. I’m Oren Li.” 

“Of course. You’re the avatar.”  “It’s my job. It’s not me,” he said with a cocky swagger. 

“Then who are you?” “If you let me take you to dinner, you can find out.” 

“Let me think about it.” Oren was surprised. He never asked girls out. They always chased after him. Was she seriously thinking about saying no.

  “Yes,” she finally said.  “You were going to say yes all along weren’t you.”

 “Maybe. I had to put your ego in check.”  

“Friday?”  

“Yes. I’ll be at the town fountain at 6PM.”

“I could pick you up at your house.”  

“I want to know who you are before I tell you where I live. Bye Oren.” Just like that, she vanished. She was quick and got the jump on him, getting him to talk and revealing nothing about herself. He didn’t even know her name. He knew he was in love with this vixen. 

106AG 

The room, well it was more like a closet than a room, was dark. Only hints of light could be seen, the rest shadows. The former Phoenix King wasted away, refusing to eat and barely able to sleep. Everything he worked for was over. His life ruined. His son undid everything and his daughter faded into obscurity, running away from the world. He had no visitors, no ambition, nothing.  He learned from the guards that his estranged wife Ursa had “remarried,” had another daughter and that her new family lived in the palace with Zuko. She dare bring a peasant and a bastard into his palace. Everything was his until a twelve year old monk took it away,  “For fucks sake, why didn’t I die on the battle field?”  

A voice appeared. “Now why would you want that?” Ozai knew he wasn’t crazy. 

“Who are you?” 

 “I am like you. I had the world at my fingertips until the avatar took it away.” 

“So you’re a loser too?”

“I AM NOT A LOSER. I just haven’t challenged the avatar to a rematch yet.”  

“What are you waiting for?”

“You.”


	2. Avatar Roku

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The former Avatar comes to visit his great granddaughter and try to persuade her to change her mind about the war. He's bending the Spirit Rules, if not outright breaking them, but desperate times call for inventive solutions.

Roku couldn't believe what was happening. How did Koh figure out time travel? The spirit had a lot of knowledge, but he was not the most inventive. He wondered if someone had fed him the idea, but he didn't have time to try and figure out who that could have been. He had to find a way to stop Koh and Aang couldn't do it alone. He went to the library and realized there was only one person who could help. Great, perhaps the person least likely to listen to him. Well, he will just have to hold his ground until she does because she's it.

 

* * *

 

The large bedroom was adorned with gold and red. Eveyrthing was in it’s proper place. The maids cleaned Azula’s room daily, even when she wasn’t staying there. The crown princess was exhausted. Her dad had become more demanding since Zuko defected, AGAIN, and her friends seemed fed up with all of the extra work. “It’s almost over,” Azula assured them, lying of course. It would never be over. The Fire Nation would always have to look out for rebellions.  The princess took a shot of fire whiskey before going to bed. She closed her eyes, but she couldn’t go to sleep. A voice kept her awake.  
 

“Hello, Azula.”

She snapped her head, looking around. “Who is in here?” She put her fists up, ready to set fire to her intruder.

 “I’m not alive anymore, so your firebending won’t work.” A face appeared. It was Roku.

She squinted in the dark. “Avatar Roku, what do you want?” she growled. She was tired and didn’t have time for some spiritual crap.

“That’s not a very polite way to greet your great-grandfather is it?”

“Sozin is my great-grandfather.”

“I am your mother’s grandfather, Azula. I came here to help you.”

Azula wanted to accuse him of lying, but as soon as he said it, she knew it was true. “Help me with what?”

“I want to help you change your life before it’s too late.”

“My life is fine and too late for what?”

“Your future as it stands now is not a good one. I want to help you change so you can find happiness.”

“How do you know what my future holds? And power makes me happy, but you’re on Aang’s side. You can’t help me.”

“If you come with me, I can show you your future and you will see why it will not give you what you seek. If you are content with it, I will leave you alone.”

“Do I need to get dressed for this?” She was just wearing her sleeping robe.  “No. No one will be able to see us.”  
 She reluctantly got out of bed, tightened her robe and took Roku’s extended spirit hand. It was cold to the touch. He whisked her out of the room and she saw what the world had in store for her.

  They were at Boiling Rock. Mai had confronted Zuko and when Zuko and his friends went to escape, the warden yelled to cut the rope. When Azula went to do it, Mai stopped her.  Azula was stunned that her friend got in her way, especially for the boy who had dumped her.  _I love him more than I fear you._ The words stung even though they hadn’t been said yet. When Azula went to take down Mai, Ty Lee chi-blocked her, sending the princess to the ground.

_Lock them away, where I will never have to see their faces again!_

Azula was sad. Unfortunately, this was only the beginning. Next, she had to watch her father say she was staying behind while he took down the Earth Kingdom. She felt abandoned. After that, her hallucinations about her mother. The cherry pit incident. Her firing everyone and the dreadful agni kai with her brother.

 She threw a bolt at Katara. As expected, Zuko dove in front of her. Azula laughed maniacly as she went to take down the waterbender. Scrambling for her life, Katara found away out, by freezing the princess to the sewer grate.

Azula teared as she watched herself break down. Her brother was coronated Fire Lord as she wasted away in an asylum. “Is this it?” she said, her voice trembling.

“There’s more,” Roku told her, “but we can fast forward.” They skipped to her finding her mother.

Azula was ready to kill her. How could her mother not love her? Her last bit of sanity broke, when her mother apologized for her upbringing and Zuko promised he’d be there for her, always. Azula realized she was too broken to have a family, to know what it was like to feel loved, to love anyone and she ran into the wilderness, fleeing from society forever.

“Is this what you wanted for yourself?” Roku asked her.

She shook her head. She couldn’t even speak.

“Before I explain to you why I’m here fully, I need to show you the fates of some other people.”

Azula saw her Zuko and Katara confronting Yon Rha; Zuko and Aang learning how to firebend from the dragons; Her father fighting Aang. Like Azula had done once, Ozai struck him with lightening, but this time Aang redirected it, mastered the avatar state and took Ozai’s bending. Sokka, Suki and Toph destroyed the airships. Ty Lee joined the Kyoshi warriors. Zuko hired them to protect him a year after the war after some assassination attempts. Now it’s six years after the war, and Ozai is meeting with a strange spirit.

“Who is that?” Azula asked Roku.  

“It’s Koh, the face stealer.”

Roku explains why he is with Azula now. Koh learned how to travel through time from the knowledge spirit and he helped Ozai get into the future, procure more advanced weapons and ships than what the world has now and he is going to merge with Koh, to become a being that even the Avatar cannot beat, so Koh can destroy the world.

“Why would my dad want that?”

“He gets to rule for life and then the world will be ruined once he dies. There won’t be any nations, or anyone once Koh is done.”  
 Azula loved her country. She had believed that they were the best in the world, that they should rule everyone, but her father was going to ruin everything, including her beloved nation. This was never about the Fire Nation. It was all about Ozai.

“I won’t let him do this.”

 “I was hoping you would say that. Your dad did everything he could to keep you from being able to love others and feel loved. He wanted you to be a ruthless killing machine, to do his bidding, and by the time you saw past his ways, you were too damaged to have a normal life. I don’t want that for you, Azula. I want you to move past it now and keep your sanity in tact. If you change now, you can stop your descent into madness, and stop your father from destroying the world.”

Azula always wanted to be perfect, but her future was not perfect at all. “But how can I stop Ozai if Aang can’t?”

“Aang can’t do it as he is now, as he was meant to be when he first fought the battle with Ozai. He will need help, your help. Together, you two can take down Ozai and Koh. There’s more to this that I am not telling you now because you have a lot on your plate as it is. As Sozin’s comet draws closer, your role in this will become more clear.”

“But how will I join him? It’s not like he has any reason to trust me.”

“Tomorrow, you will discover your brother at Boiling Rock. Save him, and he will start to trust you. Fix your relationship with him and he can help you gain the others’ trust. You will all need to work together to defeat Koh.”

Roku took Azula back to her room and she went to bed, well after taking notes on what Roku had told her. She wanted to make sure she remembered everything.


	3. Finding the GAANG

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azula and her friends attempt to join the avatar in the Western Air Temple.

When Azula landed the war balloon, she said to her friends. “We want to join them, but they won’t believe us, especially me. They will likely attack as soon as they see us. Try to defend only. I don’t want to have to burn them and then say, let’s just be friends.”

The two girls nodded and the trio went through the bushes. Of course, Toph heard them. “Someone’s approaching.”

Sokka and Suki turned, hands on the handles of their swords. “Who are you?” he yelled.

 “You know who I am,” Azula said, letting her voice answer the question for her.

 “AZULA!” He posed ready to fight. Suki did and Katara grabbed her water skin. Hakoda had no weapons, so he could only use his fists. He didn’t think they’d do much against her, but he wasn’t going to do nothing. Zuko stood up, wanting to know what the hell happened at the prison.

 Toph launched a rock attack. Azula stopped it with her flame and gently lowered them to the ground. Unexpectedly, she didn’t lead a counterattack.

 Once Azula was visible, she stopped. She didn’t strike a fighting pose or do anything. Mai and Ty Lee were behind her. Aang was puzzled, but he was ready to fight, standing next to Katara.

 “I’m not here to fight you.”

 “Like I believe that,” Suki hissed.

 “Well of course you don’t believe it, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”

“Why are you here?” Zuko asked, the only one who wasn’t looking to fight her just yet.

 “I’m here because Ozai, our darling father, has teamed up with Koh. Koh is helping Dad win the war and take over the world and in exchange, Koh gets to destroy it once Ozai’s dead. If we don’t find a way to stop them, forget this dispute between nations. There won’t be any nations, or anyone. The world will just be ash.”

Azula spoke clearly and slowly. Her story sounded ridiculous, especially to those who did not know who Koh was. Aang knew and he was trembling at the thought.  “That is the worst made up story I ever heard,” Katara hissed.

“It’s not made up,” Azula hissed. “Why do you think I helped Zuko and his ragtag crew escape the prison?”

 “You didn’t help us,” Sokka insisted.

 “Of course I did! Why do you think we flew two war balloons and left one where you could see it and why do you think I didn’t cut the rope when the warden told me too, and instead I locked his guard in a cell?”

“You put the guard in a cell?” Zuko questioned.

 “Yeah, we’re all up for treason, so it’s either join you or die,” Mai admitted.

Toph couldn’t tell when Azula was lying, but she could read Mai. “Mai’s telling the truth. They really did stop him from killing you all.”

“How did you figure out any of this?” Aang asked, the question no one else seemed to be thinking about.  

“Roku came to see me last night. He said that Koh learned how to travel through time, and he helped Ozai go into the future to get better weapons and battleships than what we have today and brought them back to make sure he kills you when Sozin’s Comet returns.”  
   
“He went into the future?” Toph questioned.

 “Well originally, Aang won the war and found a way to stop Ozai without killing him. While Ozai was stewing in prison, Koh came to visit him and they went to the future to get better weapons and then back to what is now the present to get a do over. In our ‘original timeline,’ Aang was able to stop Ozai by himself, but Ozai’s fusion with Koh will make him to powerful. Aang needs help to fight him the second time around. My help.”

“You’re going to help Aang fight Ozai,” Katara laughed.

“Look around. Anyone else going to volunteer to take on a warlord fused with an evil spirit?”

No one did, not even Toph.

 “That’s what I thought. Plus, I know what you all don’t know. I saw the future, or what was supposed to be the future. Roku showed me how this all happened.”

“Why didn’t he come to me?” Aang asked, having known his predecessor for some time.  

“Because you have enough on your plate learning what you had to learn to beat Ozai the first time, and this is my chance to change my future. My original future pretty much sucks balls, and I want a different one. I can’t change my future without changing my present life, so here I am.”

“What was your original future like?” Ty Lee asked.  Azula sighed. “I’ll tell you later. It’s not a pleasant story.”

The acrobat nodded.

“Do you have any proof whatsoever?” Sokka asked.  
   
“No, but you can go to World’s End and see where Ozai and Koh merged, or Aang could, I don’t know, do the avatar thing and ask Roku himself.”

“I do need to talk to him. I don’t know anything about fighting spirits, or men merged with spirits.”  
   
“You expect us to believe that you can tell the future?” Toph inquired.  
   
“I’m not a psychic. I just saw what was supposed to happen, which means I know some of what will happen and some of what I saw won’t happen. How else would I know the stuff I know, like how Zuko’s firebending went to crap as soon as he got here.”

“You know about that?” he squeaked.

 “And I know how you will get it back.”

“Really, can we do that right now?”

“There’s other stuff that needs to happen first, like the Fire Nation battillion that’s going to attack us while we’re up here.”

“WHAT!” Everyone yelped.

 “They aren’t coming for a while now. We have plenty of time to leave, and everyone will be fine, well they were the last time.”

They seemed miffed that Azula didn’t start with that. She didn’t think it was the most important issue at hand.

Zuko asked Azula if they could talk alone. He needed to learn more about her visit from Roku. They found a clearing and sat on some rocks.

“What do you want to know Zuko?”

“Did Roku show you my future?” Zuko was constantly worried about what kind of man he was going to be. He wanted to escape his father’s influence, but it was like he had a voice in the back of Zuko’s head that wouldn’t stop.

 “He showed me what was your future, but I can’t guarantee that it will remain your future.”

“What kind of man was I?”  
   
“One who worried too much about becoming our father. I don’t know what will happen to either of us after this is said and done, but you became the kind of person who threw himself in front of a friend, so she wouldn’t get killed by lightening. Would Ozai do that for anyone?”

Zuko shook his head.

“I don’t want to be what my father wanted me to be either, and last time, I didn’t see that until it was too late. This is my second chance to get it right, and I’m not going to watch you go in the wayside while I do it. We have each other, and we never really have before, but it’s important that we stay a family.”  
 

“But I screwed over Uncle Iroh.”

  
 “He will forgive you. I bet he already has. Me, I’m not so sure on, but I have hope.”

As the rest of team Avatar tried to figure out what to do with this new information, they quarreled over what, if any of it, was believable. Everyone had their own thing to say.

“This just sounds totally crazy,” Hakoda said. “Travelling through time?”

“Well it sounds crazy now, but what if they figured it out in the future?” Sokka was worried about Ozai getting infinite chances to win the war.

  
 “You don’t believe Azula?” Suki questioned.

  “I don’t trust her, but I believe that some of what she said could be true. She’s facing treason charges, which means she defected from Ozai for a reason. I don’t know if she just plans on killing Zuko and taking the throne for herself afterwards, but something really bad is happening right now, and we need a plan. If they have future weapons and ships, we have a big problem.”

“Aang,” Toph added. “Why don’t you just go to the spirit world and see what’s going on? If Koh’s up to something, maybe you’ll see it there, or maybe Roku can explain all of this.”

“Someone will have to guard him,” Katara said, not trusting the princess.

Toph and Sokka said they’d do it. Aang retreated and his two friends followed him as he found a spot to go into the spirit world.

A Little Help from my Friends.

Ty Lee and Mai had their own conversation.

“Leave it to Azula to change her mind about the war right as the comet is coming,” Mai muttered, lamenting over how they took Ba Sing Se, just to switch sides.  
   
“I can’t believe Ozai would take such deal,” Ty Lee exclaimed.

 “Why not? He’s totally evil,” Mai retorted.

 “Well yeah, but his daughter would be around when the world ended.”

 “He doesn’t care about her at all. She was just a useful pawn to him,” Mai answered. It stung when Azula heard the words out of her friend’s mouth, but it was true.

Azula sat down with her friends and her brother and explained what her future was supposed to hold.

“I was supposed to try and kill Zuko today and Mai stopped me. Then I was supposed to try and kill Mai and Ty Lee stopped me. I threw them both in jail where Ty Lee met the Kyoshi warriors and joined them after the war. Dad abandoned me and said he was taking over the rest of the world by himself. He said I would be Fire Lord, but he was going to be the Phoenix King, so my crown would really just be a figurehead position. I started going crazy and banished all of my servants, my mentors, the Dai Li and the imperial firebenders from the palace. Zuko came to fight me for the crown during Sozin’s Comet and I almost killed him.

Katara stopped me from killing him and her and I got put in an asylum. Zuko let me out on the condition I get dad to tell me where Mom is. Dad wouldn’t tell me but I managed to steal her letters that dad kept and figure out where she had gone. I burned the letters, so Zuko couldn’t read them. Eventually, I tell him where Mom is and I go with him and some others to go find her, but I went even more mad and decided to kill her because she never loved me. I am about to kill her when she apologizes for not being a better mother to me, and then I have another break down and run away from society, never to be seen again, and I stopped watching after that.”

No one uttered a word. Hearing what today was supposed to bring them was alarming and sad.

“My whole life, my dad has taught me that it was our nation’s destiny to take over the world, that it was my duty to help, and that once we achieved it, everything would be great. I accepted what he told me without question and I never contemplated what he was doing to me or the people closest to me. By the time I learned my mistake in our original timeline, it was too late. I was too broken, too mistrusting of myself and everyone around me to have any chance for normalcy, so I just fled from society.

  
 I don’t want to flee from the world, and I don’t want to hurt the people who care about me and drive them away. Today, I was supposed to drive all of you away and I would have if Roku hadn’t stopped me. I know I have a lot to make up to all of you, but I need your help before I can fully focus on that. If you can’t trust me on this, then no one else will and Koh will destroy everything.”  
 Ty Lee hugged her friend. “I believe you, and I have your back, 100%”

“I don’t know about 100%, but I’m in your camp too,” Mai said. “I have to admit, I did grab my knife earlier because I thought you would try to cut the rope, but when you didn’t, I was relieved.”

“I’ve gotten more second chances than I deserved,” Zuko admitted. “I’d be a dick if I didn’t give you one too.”

Azula sighed in relief. “Well, I still have a camp of people who hate me, but we can get through this.”  
   
“How will we defeat Koh?” Ty Lee asked her.

 “I’m not sure. Roku said I would find out more as time winded down, but he didn’t give me any substantive information. He just said that Aang needed my help.”

Azula and Ty Lee set up a tent to share, away from the others, since Azula did not want to be too close to them right now. Mai shared Zuko’s tent.


	4. Into the Spirit World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aang goes to find Roku and figure out what's really going on.

Aang first went in search of Koh. When he got to the spirit’s lair, he found Roku instead with a somber look on his face.

“The merging has already begun,” Roku explained.

Aang knew Azula was telling the truth, since he had prior experience with Koh, but hearing Roku say that made Aang shiver. “Is there anything I can do to stop it?”

“You can try, but Koh will just grab a new host and do it again. We need a definitive battle, to stop Ozai and Koh.”

“Do I need to kill them?”

“You can’t kill Koh, but he can be sealed away for good. Ozai, I’m not sure what will happen to him this time around, but you might not need to kill him. I can’t make any promises.”

“And what about Azula? How does she factor into all of this?”

“My great-granddaugher never got the chance that Zuko did. By the time you and Zuko tried to reach out to her, she was too far gone. This is her chance to change her life before she breaks down, and it will become clear why it has to be her who helps you defeat Koh.”

“But last time, she didn’t help me win the war.”

“Last time, there wasn’t Koh. Ozai is your battle. Koh is hers.”

Aang frowned. Why would Koh be her battle? “What is it that you aren’t telling me?”

“I don’t mean to be hiding the ball from you Aang, but this story is a long and complicated one. I need you to focus on preparing yourself for the comet now and over time, it will all make sense to you. I’ll give you a hint. You and Azula will need to visit the knowledge spirit, and you will both learn what you need to know about your past and your future.”

Aang nodded and thanked Roku for the advice. He returned to the physical world. Other than Sokka and Toph, who had been telling stories as they guarded Aang, everyone else had gone to sleep.

Aang’s eyes opened as he came back to his body.

“So, what did you learn?”

Aang gulped. “Everything Azula said was true. Koh and Ozai have started to merge. She has to help me defeat him, although Roku wouldn’t tell me why, and this is her chance to change her future.”

“Change it to what?” Sokka asked.

Aang shrugged. “Roku doesn’t know. No one knows what will happen now. They only knew what was supposed to happen before.”

“So she’s an ally at least for now,” Toph stated.

“For now,” Aang said, although he hoped she’d change for good.

 


	5. Revenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azula takes Katara to get revenge on Yon Rha.

“Who ate all of the moon peaches?” Katara yelled.

 Azula shrugged. “Well, you have three more people with you than you planned on having. We’ll have to forage more.”

“YOU ATE OUR FOOD!”

“Hey, chill. Sokka ate pretty much all of my jerky.”

“It was good,” he boasted.

Katara was livid. Azula just showed up and she was supposed to be trustworthy because Roku said so. Where was Roku before when she killed Aang and took Ba Sing Se.

“Why don’t you go get your own food?”

“Why don’t you? You’re the one growling over some peaches.”

 “You aren’t even supposed to be here.”

 “Well, Koh wasn’t supposed to go back in time, so what do you want me to do?”

 “Why don’t you go back in time and not shoot Aang or take Ba Sing Se, or do any of the other bad stuff you did? Why don’t you go back and time and bring my mother back?”

“I can’t do any of that,” Azula admitted. “But I can take you to the scoundrel who killed your mother.”  
   
“Where is HE?”

Katara planned to do much worse than say a few words and took Azula up on the offer.  
   
“Aang, can we borrow Appa?”

“For what?”

 “We need to have a chat with a certain Southern Tribe Raider.”  Katara’s eyes looked murderous.

“I can’t condone getting revenge.”

Sokka concurred. “It won’t bring Mom back.”

Azula whispered in Aang’s ear. “She won’t kill him. She’ll chicken out.” Feeling her soft breath on his ear tickled him.

“I still can’t condone the trip, but I’ll forgive you if you take him anyway.”   
   
That was good enough for Azula, and they flew on Appa to find Yon Rha.

“How do you know where he is?” Katara asked.

  “I told you already. Roku showed me the future.”

“So I found him without you last time?”  
   
“Well, yeah, but now you can skip the part where you beat up the wrong guy.”

Katara snorted. The found the man walking down the street like nothing was out of the ordinary.  
 

“Princess?” he said as he stared at her.

“Yon Rha. I have some questions for you. Do you remember doing a raid in the southern water tribe about six years ago.”

“Yeah, so.”  
   
“Do you remember killing their last waterbender?”

“Yeah, and….”  
   
“Well, you didn’t kill the last waterbender. The woman you killed lied to protect her.”  
   
“What? Who was she protecting?  “ME!” Katara raged as she blood bended him into the ground.

Normally, Azula was all for revenge, but even she cringed at the sight of Katara’s rage. Is this how people usually see me? Azula thought to herself, troubled by the thought.

“I know I messed up, but you can kill my mother and we’ll be even!”  
   
The thought of that disgusted Katara, but even she couldn’t kill him.

She dropped him to the ground, leaving him with a broken arm, and they took off back towards the rest of the group.

When they got back, everyone was wondering what happened to Yon Rha.

 “I didn’t kill him,” Katara told them as they got off Appa.

“I’m glad you didn’t,” Aang said. “Forgiveness is a good thing.”

“I’ll never forgive him,” Katara admitted. “But I can forgive you,”

The waterbender hugged the princess, catching her off guard.

Azula learned a valuable lesson today. Sometimes, revenge just isn’t worth it. Maybe making amends is better.

***

As Azula had promised, they got attacked by a Fire Nation batillion. Haru and Toph earthbended a tunnel to use for an escape, but Appa refused to go in it. Running out of time, Haru started directing the people closest to him through the tunnel, telling everyone else to get on Appa and get away. Hakoda and Suki followed Haru while the others got on Appa.

 “Where’s Suki?” Sokka yelled.

 “You’ll see her later,” Azula said as she pulled him on Appa. “We have to go now!”

Everyone got away before their campsite was destroyed.

They managed to find a new location to hide out.


	6. Heart of Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azula, Zuko and Aang go to learn the true meaning of Firebending

Azula suggested they train more intensely to get ready for the battle. “We don’t know what we’re fighting. I suggest we all get better at fighting.”

Zuko still struggled with his firebending, so he practiced with his dao swords. Aang worked on his earthbending. Ty Lee and Mai sparred each other.

Azula tried to firebend in her match against Sokka and her fire was gone too. “What the fuck!”

“Is your jerkbending also gone,” Sokka teased. Azula’s right hook wasn’t.

“OW!”

“Even without my firebending, I can still kick your ass!” Azula frowned. Hers hadn’t disappeared in the last timeline. Her source for her inner flame had been praise, Azulon’s praise, her father’s praise. With them gone, she didn’t have the drive to produce fire. “Well, it looks like I’m going on that journey with Zuko and Aang.”

“What journey?” Zuko asked her.

“The one where you learn the true meaning of firebending.”

Before Azula could explain further, Katara was fussing about something.

* * *

 Azula, Aang and Zuko decided to go to the sun warrior’s temple to learn the true meaning of firebending. Azula didn’t reveal to them that there were dragons still alive. The sun warrior did that when he saw them coming up the stairs. 

“Now, to see if you are worthy. If not, they will incinerate you.” 

Azula started to do the dance depicted on the walls. Aang followed her and Zuko reluctantly joined in. Once they were done, they stopped to see a red dragon and a blue dragon come out of their caves. Bursts of fire of all different colors came out as the dragons celebrated life together, doing their own dance and demonstrating how fire is to be cherished, not to merely be a weapon. 

Azula had seen this moment before when she saw “the future,” but it did not register until she was actually in the moment. A tear fell from her eye when she realized there was so much to her flame that she had never considered. She felt like she had been reborn. Zuko was too entranced to notice his sister’s reaction, but Aang was not. He could feel her spirit becoming brighter as they watched the performance. 

When they came back, Sokka asked how their “jerkbending went.” Azula almost threw a flame at him, but instead she did the dancing dragon, revealing a spectrum of colors as she moved around.

Ty Lee noticed Azula’s aura brightening and she even saw flickers of pink, suggesting that the firebender had a crush developing. It was just beginning, so it was unclear when Azula would recognize it for herself, but the girl’s spirt was changing for the better.

“‘Zula, that was awesome,” she said, capturing her friend in a hug. 

Zuko was excited to have his fire back, and Aang was excited to finally get himself on track to face Ozai.

Azula decided now was the time to teach Aang and Zuko how to throw lightening.

“You have to clear your mind, seperate your ying and yang and relax. Lightening is different than fire. Fire is about passion and comes from within. Lightening is like the sink as opposed to being the source. You can draw charge from everything around you, the grass, the water. You pull in from the world and you let it back out.”

She stood, took a breath, cleared her mind and raised her fingers, throwing a lightening bolt into the sky.

“Before you do that,” she warned, “throw little sparks from your fingertips. If you don’t learn how to properly release the charge you build, you can give yourself a heart attack.”

This sounds totally safe, Aang thought to himself. 

Azula spent the evening and the following morning helping them hone their lightening abilities. Zuko taught both Azula and Aang how to redirect lightening across their bodies. Azula had an advantage as she had seen Aang do it in the original timeline. Zuko muttered, “of course you get it on the first try.”

“I’m just that good,” she teased.

* * *

 That night, it was a full moon. Katara and Aang were waterbending as their skills were heightened. They chased each other with various water formations, tentacles and lassos as they moved along the river. Azula observed them. Their movements were soft and flowing like the water itself. Fire was more about passion and explosion and all of the moves she knew reflected that, except for the dancing dragon. It reminded Azula of waterbending, which is why it felt so weird at first. 

The princess wondered if she could make her fire flow like water. She loosened her arms, letting the fire flow from her like ribbons and she started to move, spinning the fire in loops and coils around her body. 

Aang and Katara easily spotted the flames in the night, the blue making the firebender glow. They stopped waterbending, turning to watch the firebender.  
  
“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Katara said.  
  
Aang didn’t hear her speaking to him. The avatar was in a trance, unable to process anything outside the firebender and her movements. Somehow, Azula’s motions were so familiar even though he had not seen them before. 

Azula weaved the fire around her body in a three beat pattern and then a five beat. She realized she could do isolations (moving her wrist and elbow to make the fire look like it was spinning about itself) and wrap the fire around itself by crossing the isolations and create a new pattern. She folded her arms, spinning the fire by moving her hips from side to side and when she unfolded her arms, she moved the fire into a flower shape, making petals in the air until she was tired.

Azula put out her flame. She had no idea where that performance had come from, but it felt so normal, like she had been able to do that her whole life, but she just now decided to try.

She looked to the moon and it felt like it was speaking to her, but she didn’t understand the words. She did understand the feeling though. She felt protected, like the moon was watching over her. 

“Do you know the moon spirit?” Azula asked Aang as she turned to him.

“Yue? She was the princess of the Northern Water Tribe, but she had to give her life to save the moon spirit when Zhao killed the last moon spirit, Tui. I met Yue when she was still a human.”

As soon as Aang said Tui, Azula frowned. She felt like she had known Tui, even though she obviously hadn’t.

“Is something wrong?”

“No. I mean I don’t think so. I feel like she is trying to tell me something, but I don’t know what it is.”

She had never tried to channel the moon spirit before. She was always told to only focus on Agni.

“Spirits don’t always use words and when they do, their messages aren’t always clear. Sometimes its better to think more simply, like whatever thoughts are feelings you have when you look at her.”

Azula felt a warmth, like one a child would share with her mother, but surely Yue was not her mother and Ursa had no relation to the moon spirit that Azula knew of. Maybe this was one of the things Roku hadn’t told her. Maybe she was going to be reunited with Ursa and Yue was telling her it would be okay. “Well, Yue,” Azula thought. “I have no idea what you are trying to say to me, but it’s nice to feel your warmth. I like knowing that you care.”

Azula could have sworn she saw the moon smile, but that was a bit too much for the princess. “Goodnight,” she said to the moon spirit as she went to bed.

Aang and Katara waterbended for a while longer before they went to sleep.

 


	7. King of the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Koh and Ozai merge, they continue on their quest to take over the world.

*Kozai is Koh + Ozai. Koh can either think to himself or share his thoughts with Ozai. Ozai has lost his mental autonomy, but he doesn’t realize that Koh has not. Ozai thinks they have a shared mind.

Koh couldn’t wait to get his revenge on the Avatar. He never wanted the avatar spirit to be created in the first place, but the other spirits overruled him. The avatar had too much power and not enough self-restraint. They always let their personal issues get away with keeping the world in balance. He tried to teach Kurak a lesson, but the stubborn fool blamed Koh for his own mistakes, banishing him to his lair, big mistake.

Koh reasoned if the Avatar couldn’t protect the world from him, then he shouldn’t have it at all. Koh would destroy the physical world and then take over the spirit world becoming the king of everything. Agni, Yue, Tui, La, all of them would be at his mercy. This would be so delightful. 

Ozai was just a chump. Sure, he would be “King of the World,” but what would that mean once he was dead. He’d be a minion like everyone else in the spirit world, except they all will hate him for helping Koh in the first place.

There was only one true King and that was Koh. 

The two had merged in World’s End and were preparing for the final battle. Koh remembered everything that happened last time, but this time Sozin’s comet would lead to a different outcome. With their combined strength, they could incinerate Aang before he could take Ozai’s bending and with their new weapons, his friends will perish before they can lend a helping hand.   “Victory is mine,” the spirit hissed to himself.

Kozai was on their way back to the Palace. Ozai had a General acting in his place while he was gone as the merger took ten days to complete. Ozai was already drooling over what it would be like to have so many palaces. He’d have one in Ba Sing Se, Omashu, Gaoling. He wouldn’t need one at the water tribes because why would he go to either frozen shithole. He would settle for statues of himself to loom over their people instead.

“Ozai, King of the World, God of Fire,” he loved saying it to himself. It would sound even better after the Comet hit.

Ozai would be the only King of the World. It was all over once he died and good riddence. His son was a disgrace and his daughter a weak-minded failure. She would go crazy when the comet hit and would be no use to him anymore. She stopped being useful once she took Ba Sing Se. He didn’t even bother to keep up with her afterwards this time around. 

The vacation he had sent his kids on was to get them out of his sight and he cared not what she did afterwards. She would fail to get the avatar, fail to stop her brother during her agni kai. Who needs to pay attention to failure? Maybe he would just kill her after the war and put her out of her misery.

Zuko, no he would keep him alive to let him know his own failures. He would sit in a cell just like the one Ozai had, and he would never get a visitor. Maybe Ozai would burn the other half of his face for good measure.

“I’m King of the World,’ the Fire Lord declared loudly. “I can do whatever I want.”

Man this guy is a bozo, Koh thought to himself. No matter, Koh just needs his body anyway.

Iroh would be the most fun, Ozai thought to himself. Daddy’s favorite and look where that got him. Unlike Azula, Ozai didn’t need his daddy. He needed no one, and the world would bow to his feet. Now what should I do with my weak-willed fool for a brother?


	8. Love or Something Like it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gaang goes to hide on Ember Island until Sozin's Comet. Aang and Azula both struggle with their feelings for each other.

As the Gaang made their preparations for their final showdown with Ozai, love was in the air and for at least some of the group, signals were getting crossed.

Aang had been certain that he wanted to be with Katara. They had kissed on the Day of the Black Sun, and it seemed right at the time. But now, he was confused. Ever since he had seen Azula firebending in the moonlight, he had trouble not looking at the princess. Everything from her golden eyes, to her red lips to her full hips was a source of excitement for the airbender. 

If you could only see,  
the beast you made of me  
I had it in the night,   
seems you set it running free

His affection for Katara was genuine. He knew that he cared about her a lot, but his interest in the firebender was more adult and he wasn’t sure which one was love. He didn’t want to have relations with Azula if he didn’t love her, but it wasn’t fair to be with Katara if she didn’t excite him in that way. Which is supposed to come first, sexual attraction or emotional connection and what do you do with one if you don’t see the other?

He also had no one to ask about this. He couldn’t ask Sokka or Zuko, seeing as how these were their sisters, and Ty Lee and Mai were Azula’s best friends, so that wouldn’t work. Toph would probably think he’s crazy and slap him on the back of his bald head. Roku was out too, since Azula was his descendent.

Aang had no idea what to do. “I should wait until after the war. Stopping Ozai has to come first.” As hard as Aang tried not to think about it, he couldn’t help but think about it. Both girls were around, all the time. Even if they weren’t in sight, their names were mentioned. How could he concentrate? Aang sat down to meditate, hoping something would help him get his mind on track.

Azula also had confusion about matters of the heart. She saw that Aang and Katara wed and had a son, Tenzin, in the original timeline, but there was something about the Avatar that kept drawing Azula to him, distracting her from her thoughts.

There’s a drumming noise inside my head  
That starts when your around  
I swear that you can hear it It makes such an almighty sound

She wasn’t sure what to do about her crush. This was supposed to be her second chance and on one hand, why shouldn’t she get one with Aang? However, she also didn’t want to fall for him if his heart already belonged to Katara. Why set herself up for failure?   
“This will have to resolve itself after the war,” Azula told herself. “I must stop Koh before I think about romance.”

She saw Aang get up to go off on his own. Her eyes followed him until he was out of sight.

Ty Lee could see their auras grow pinker each day, and even more so when they were together. She wondered how long it would take them to realize their own feelings and that the other shared them. She couldn’t think of a better match for Azula. Who better than Aang to help her find inner peace after a lifetime of torment living under Ozai’s thumb and the aura reeder was sure that the boy who found it in his heart to love everyone could teach the princess how to love in return.

After seeing some Fire Nation war balloons fly near their campsite, the group decided to hide in the royal family’s house on Ember Island. Azula reminded Zuko that he suggested this last time and Ozai might have someone waiting for them.

  “I thought about that,” he admitted. “But he could have also sent someone to the sun warrior temple, to Boiling Rock, to anywhere else we have been and he hasn’t. I think he wants the showdown to be at Sozin’s Comet, so he can have the glory of winning a big battle. An ambush isn’t good enough for him.”

“He is quite the narcissist, but I still think we should take shifts on sleeping just in case.”

 Zuko agreed. Even if Ozai didn’t come for them. Someone else could.

When Sokka saw that a play about them was showing, he suggested they watch it. Azula was concerned that this would be the exact kind of attention they didn’t want. Sokka countered that no one would think they would go to a play about them in the Fire Nation.  “So you’re banking on no one thinking we are as dumb as you are suggesting that we be?”

 “Exactly.”  
   
The Princess scoffed, but the others wanted to go, so away they went. Azula took her hair out of her top not, so she would look less like herself.

Her hair was longer than most would have guessed from her top knot. Aang noticed every time the wind caught and send it flowing behind her. He had the weirdest urge to run his fingers through it, but he was sure she’d immolate him if he did that.

They went out to dinner and then to the play. Toph couldn’t see, so Ty Lee said she’d tell the earthbender what was happening on stage while she listened. Zuko and Mai sat together as did Ty Lee and Toph. Sokka was next to his sister and Aang was in between Katara and Azula. Great, now he was even more confused. 

The play began with Katara and Sokka arguing on stage, the waterbender given a horribly shrieky voice, which she did not appreciate. Sokka was portrayed like a neandrathal. A block of ice came out on stage and a girl burst out of it, declaring herself the avatar. Aang was pissed. Azula laughed. “Don’t feel bad. These plays are notoriously awful.” Ember Island has the worst theatre in the Fire Nation by far.

Zuko comes to the stage with Uncle Iroh who’s eating snacks the whole time. “I MUST RESTORE MY HONOR!” Azula is bawling, since she’s laughing so hard at the exaggeration of her brother. He is not amused, but Mai has a smirk on her face.

Aang trips the light beam which alerts Zuko to their presence and the first battle between them begins.

 The story mostly tells what actually happened, except the characters are ridiculous. Azula has the most fun with the first half of the play, since she’s not in it. 

The second act is less fun for the Princess. The feats that once made her proud now made her ashamed. It was awful to see how wicked she had been, and even worse, her people were relishing in it. She started to tense. Aang noticed and took her hand in his, rubbing small circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. She relaxed and after the battle of Ba Sing Se, it got easier again.

Before the final battle, the play showed Zuko and Katara “in love,” to Mai’s chagrin.

Zuko blushed. “Nothing happened,” he swore to her. She believed him, but she was still not amused. Katara was afraid to look in Zuko’s direction, lest Mai kill her.

In the final scene, Aang is killed by Ozai while Azula kills Zuko, the rest of the team going to jail. Azula had a heavy heart. To think, she had tried to achieve this ending before.

Her head found its way to Aang’s shoulder and his hand ran through her hair. It was just as soft as he had imagined. She smelled nice too. Was this love? It was nice, whatever it was.

 After the play, almost everyone was complaining about his or her portrayal. Mai and Ty Lee weren’t in the play very much, just when they seized Ba Sing Se and the fight over Tom-Tom and Bumi. Toph thought her portrayal as a burly man was hilarious. Sokka was annoyed as being portrayed as a fool. Katara insisted she didn’t shriek like that, and Toph said, “you’re shrieking now, Sugar Queen.”

“We should continue this conversation not here,” Azula said quietly, reminding them that they are all fugitives right now.


	9. How Do You Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People take shifts watching the house while the rest of the Gaang sleeps. Azula has a rare heart to heart with her brother.

They returned to the house where Azula and Zuko took the first shift while the others went to sleep. 

 “So how did you like your depiction?” Zuko asked as she watched the front door and he watched the side door. At least she didn’t look like an hot-headed hornbill.

 “I don’t know what was worse, seeing all of the things I’ve done wrong, or seeing my nation celebrate them.”

Zuko hadn’t thought about it that way. Being a hero in this play wasn’t exactly a good thing either. “Let’s talk about something else,” he suggested.  
   
“Please.”  
   
They looked at each other. What would they talk about? “Do you have any ideas?”

Azula’s mind drifted off to Aang. All it took was a simple touch from him and she felt so much better. With him asleep, she felt restless again. “Have you ever wanted something and not known what it was?”

Zuko frowned. Was this a puzzle? “Like you want something to eat, but you can’t decide what you want.”

“Not quite. Like you think you want a particular thing, but you aren’t sure what it actually is.”

“Like a box but you don’t know what is inside.”

“Maybe like that?” Azula didn’t know how to describe what she was thinking. 

 “I’m guessing a specific thing is on your mind,” Zuko offered.

“How do you know if you’re in love?” she asked him directly.

“Whoa! Where did that come from?”

“That’s the thing that I want, but I’m not sure what it is,” or if I have found it, she said in her mind.

Zuko paused. He wasn’t sure now that he thought about it. He liked Mai, but he wasn’t sure if they were in love. He missed her while he was gone, and was happy when they had been reunited, but love had to mean more than that. “I don’t know,” he admitted. Is it supposed to be instantaneous or is it something that you determine over time? 

Azula wondered if maybe Ty Lee was the person to ask. She seemed to “fall in love” all the time, but Azula wasn’t sure if she was just a loving person or if she just confused love with lust. If Zuko didn’t know, then he wasn’t in love with Mai, or at least, he wasn’t sure. Is Mai sure? Will she wait for him to figure it out? Azula thought it was time for another subject change. 

Katara wasn’t having an easy time sleeping. Toph was snoring and it didn’t seem to bother Ty Lee, but the waterbender couldn’t take it at the moment. She still felt off about that play, saying she was in love with Zuko. Were they nuts? He’s with Mai and she, well, she didn’t know what she was with Aang. That kiss was nice, but was it anything more than that? How would she know?

She went to see if there was any tea in the kitchen and she heard Azula. “How do you know if you’re in love?”

Katara stopped, not wanting to interrupt the conversation. As she listened to the siblings talk, she realized they seemed to be unsure of themselves as well. How do people get through this if no one knows that it is that’s going on?

Once they started talking about their childhood memories on the island, Katara slipped past them for some tea.

Zuko’s eyes started to linger after Katara as she left. Azula noticed but didn’t comment. 

Mai was cold. One of the nice things about having a firebender for a boyfriend was that he gave off heat as he slept. Unfortunately, he was on first shift watching the house, so she didn’t have him to sleep next to. She looked around. Katara was gone as was Azula. It was only Toph and Ty Lee in the room with her. She moved closer to her acrobat friend, hoping to get some of her warmth.   
   
Being the cuddler that she is, Ty Lee put her arms around the assassin, pulling her close. Mai would normally cringe at the contact but it felt nice right now. Ty Lee found the little crook on Mai’s neck and fell asleep.

Sokka and Toph were on second shift tonight. Toph was a snorer, so Azula was glad to wake her up before she went to bed. 

“Wake up noisy nose,” the princess said as she tickled her stomach.  
   
“Whoa, why are you touching my tummy?”

 “Time for you to wake up and make sure we don’t get killed in our sleep.”  
   
“Okay, Princess Sapphire, I’m on it.”

Toph went downstairs. Katara fell asleep, finally and Azula did the same. Zuko woke up Sokka before he went to bed. He had also been snoring. Aang slept right through it. He was perfectly content with his dream where he and the princess were on the beach and she was feeding him grapes while wearing a bikini.

He muttered Azula’s name in his sleep. Zuko frowned. 

“He couldn’t have said Azula.” The prince rolled over and went to sleep.  
   
The swordsman and the earthbender chatted as the rest of the house slept.

“Isn’t it weird we trusted Azula and Zuko with our lives while we all were sleeping?” Sokka hadn’t thought about the fact that they had volunteered to take first shift until now.

“I know right. Who would have thought the Father Lord’s kids would have ended up half-decent?”

“I’m still anxious about after the war. What if they fight for the throne, and it gets ugly?”

Toph shrugged. “We can’t say for now. The first thing is making sure we win when the Comet hits.” Who knows? Maybe they’ll work it out amongst themselves just fine.

“I wouldn’t want to get in the ring with her. Even without her jerkbending, she throws a mean right hook.”

“Haha! You got beat up by a princess.”  
   
“I did NOT get beat up.”

 “Sure you didn’t, Sokka!” Toph teased.


	10. Weaponry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kozai unveil the new weapons to the Fire Nation military.

Shiny silver tanks were lined up on the Fire Nation naval ships. Each tank required a driver and a shooter. 

 Black fighter jets were waiting to be used. Unlike the tanks, there was only one man needed for each jet.

When the Fire Lord unveiled the new technology, his military was amazed.

 “This is the wave of the future. The Fire Nation will dominate forever.” Ozai spoke to a cheering crowd of Fire Nation soldiers. “Be prepared for the chance of a lifetime.”

“Uh Rah!”

 “I will become the King of the World, and you will all be it’s victors. You will be heros. Your sons will prosper. Your daughters will live in luxury and the rest of the world will bow down at our FEET!”

 There was thundrous applause and a standing ovation.

Koh was quite pleased. Ozai knew how to inspire his men and with these new weapons, they should have no trouble with the puny Avatar and his vagabonds for friends.

Only a few more days and the Avatar will be dead, forever. There would be no one to stop Koh from taking over the spirit world, piece by piece. While Ozai’s shenanagans would consume all of the spirits’ energy, Koh would prepare himself for total domination. He would have all of the faces. He would have everything.


	11. Into the Spirit World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aang and Azula go into the spirit world.

Aang and Azula had to visit the knowledge spirit before the Comet. The princess’s hand shook as Aang took it. “It’s okay. We’ll be fine.” He started rubbing her hand with his thumb and she relaxed for him. They closed their eyes, and they were gone.

They passed eerie shades of blue and many unfamiliar faces, well unfamiliar to the princess. She had only been here once and Roku took her somewhere else. They got to the knowledge spirit and as usual, they had to tell him something new that he could add to the collection.

 Aang struggled to come up with something new. Azula said, “I know we’re in an alternate timeline because of Koh.”

“We are?” the spirit squeaked. “Well, that is something knew.”

 “Actually, she just said two new things,” Aang added. We’re good.

 The spirit scowled but Aang was correct, so he let them in the library.

“What are we looking for exactly?”

“Um. Roku said we would understand our pasts and our futures (respectively). I’m going to look for stuff on the past avatars. Maybe your family history will help?” Aang really wasn’t sure what Roku wanted them to find.

Azula wondered what in her past was relevant, also what in her past was even in the library. Azula opened the book on Sozin. The family tree looked normal except Azula had a moon and a sun next to her name. No one else did. She took the book to the library.

 “Mr. Knowledge Spirit. Could you tell me what these symbols mean?”

 “That’s the sun and the moon,” he said quizzically. How did she not know that?  

“Forgive me I wasn’t clear. Why do I have the symbols by my name when no one else in my family does?”

“Oh! That is a good question.” He was not allowed to tell her the answer. “I wish I could answer it for you, but I know who can. Tui can tell you.”

“But I thought Tui died?”

 “She did, but she’s in the spirit world. You can talk to her here.”

“Thank you.” Azula wasn’t sure what this had to do with anything, but maybe it was important. She did know what was important, figuring out anything she could about Koh. She went through his book, but nothing that interesting was in it. Azula had a feeling that the good stuff about Koh wouldn’t be found in a book. 

Aang read about Kurak’s experience with Koh. Kurak didn’t kill him because that would have destroyed the spirit of every face he stole, including Ummi’s. Aang would have to find a way to seal Koh in the spirit world, so he could no longer come out into the physical world, but the spirits of his victims would be preserved.

Aang checked to see if any of the other avatars had an issue with their loved ones and Koh. They did not, but Aang did notice a pattern amongst his past lives. It seemed that all of the avatars before Yangchen had either a wife with from the Fire Nation or one of the Water Tribes, whether the avatar was male or female. He wondered what was about women from these elements that appealed to avatars and if this had something to do with why he had been drawn to both Azula and Katara. 

He turned to Azula. “Did you learn anything?”

 “Yes, but I don’t know what it means. I need to find Tui.”

Aang took her out of the library and they began their search.

****  
 Ty Lee and Mai were babysitting Aang and Azula’s bodies while they were in the spirit world.  “How long do you think they’ll be in there?” Ty Lee asked, somewhat weirded out by seeing her friend’s body with her not in it.

“I have no clue. I don’t know if time is the same in there or if they can keep track of it.”

“I hope they make good use of the time,” Ty Lee responded.  

“I’m sure they won’t come back without learning something useful.”

“I meant I hope they figure out their feelings for each other.”

Mai deadpanned. “What?”

 “You haven’t noticed how they look at each other with longing eyes. Their auras are totally pink around each other. He holds her hand when she’s nervous.”

 “Azula nervous? And you know I don’t believe in aura reading.”

 “Azula’s out of her element now. She’s used to being the master planner, the prodigy who’s going to make daddy proud. She had to give up everything she once believed in to do this. She’s pretty scared.”

Mai had to admit Ty Lee had a point. “But her and Aang?”

 “I think they’ll be good for each other. Opposites attract.”

Mai thought about her and Zuko. He was in someways her opposite. He was so emotional sometimes she couldn’t handle it. Mainly because she hid from her own. She was taught not to show them, and it was easier that way. She was envious of her friend.Ty Lee just wore everything on her sleeve, and she never worried about what anyone else thought.

“How do you do it?” Mai asked her.

 “How do I do what?”

“Just be yourself all the time without worrying what others think.”

“I don’t know how else to be. My whole life I was just one in a set. I had to overexaggerate just to get any attention. I never had to hide my intentions.” Except for this moment, right now. When Ty Lee woke up with Mai in her arms, it was the best sleep she had, well ever. Not that she could tell her best friend who was dating her other best friend’s brother.

“I’m so used to never changing my temperment. Sometimes, I wonder if I feel anything at all.”

“Of course you do, Mai. You just need to learn how to share more. It won’t happen all at once, but it will get easier.”

Mai didn’t believe that at all, but at least her friend was trying. She didn’t even know how to have such a conversation with Zuko and Azula would just bait her into yelling, so she showed some emotion. The assassin sighed. Why couldn’t she express herself? Did she even know what she wanted at all.

****

Aang had no idea where Tui was. Azula didn’t either, but she felt a warm feeling, like when she had seen Yue. “I think she’s this way,” the princess pointed. Aang followed her and they went through a thicket, down a ledge across a river and to a ledge where they saw a spirit waiting.  “You found me,” Tui said. She had been waiting for Azula to come.

“Hi Tui,” Aang started. “We were wondering if you could help us.”

“I’ve been waiting for you to show up. I take it you saw the knowledge spirit?”

 “Yes, and he couldn’t tell me why I had a sun and a moon next to my name, but he said you could.”

 “Let me start at the beginning. There are two types of spirits. There are normal spirits, who are people and animals who have passed on and there are eternal spirits, who govern or manage something in the physical world. Eternal spirits aren’t supposed to fall in love. The fear is we will be distracted from doing our jobs by romance. 

Despite the “rules,” Agni and I fell in love. To keep us apart, other spirits put us in charge of the sun and the moon to keep us separate. We knew they would do this, so we made a spirit out of each of us, so that we would always be together. Our love child, as it were, is the Sun Princess, and she is reborn to either the Fire Nation or the Water Tribes because she her spirit is half of me and half of Agni. 

You have the sun and the moon by your name because you are the Sun Princess. You are our spirit child, which means you can channel both of us, allowing you to wield your flames like water,” and when you’re a waterbender, your water can move like fire.

 Azula frowned. This explained her gravitaiton towards Tui and Yue now, but why didn’t she know earlier. “How come no one told me?”

 “Your spirit was supposed to be our secret. Eternal spirits aren’t supposed to just make new spirits without permission, so Agni and I acted behind everyone else’s back to make you and your predecessors. Unfortunately, the other spirits found out about you, and our punishment is that we could not approach you about this. We would have to wait for you to find us.”

 “So not every Sun Princess finds out who she is?”

 “Not anymore. I wish we could change that. All we want is to guide our children, but they don’t even know they’re ours.”

Azula thought back to her other timeline. She almost didn’t know at all. “Do you know how I can defeat Koh?”

“Summon your father when Sozin’s comet comes. Together, you can weaken Koh, but Aang will have to seal him in the spirit world some how. I don’t know how you do that, Aang, or else I’d tell you.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Azula hugged her before they left.

 Tui smiled. It had been hundreds of years since one of her daughters had found her.

 Roku appeared after they left. “Did you tell them about the history between Sun Princess and the Avatar?”

 Tui shook their head. “They can find out that part after the war’s over.”


	12. Time for a Revolution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The White Lotus convenes in Ba Sing Se to take back the city.

The Order of the White Lotus had reconvened near Ba Sing Se, ready to take back the city for the Earth Kingdom. Pakku, Piandu, Jeong Jeong, King Bumi, and Iroh were all united and joining them was Hakoda, Jet (who had only faked his death when Long Feng attacked him), Haru and all of the manpower they could grab.

“Do you think Aang will come here before he fights Ozai?” Haru asked. He wanted to know if the Avatar needed them for anything.

 “Aang will have to find his own way,” Iroh said. “We will be here if he needs us, but he may need to go straignt to Ozai.”

***

Azula and Aang were on their way back to the physical world. She still couldn’t believe she was the Sun Princess. Tui was her mother and she didn’t even know until after she had been killed. “I would have killed Zhao myself if I had known what he would do,” Azula muttered.

 “Don’t blame yourself,” Aang told her. He knew how easy that could be sometimes.

 “I’m not even sure what being the Sun Princess means.”

 “Well, right now it means kicking Koh’s butt. We’ll figure out the rest on the way.”

 “We?” Azula said teasingly.

“Uh, well I thought since I get reborn too that ….” He sounded like a dork.

 “I’d like your company, Aang.” Azula wondered if she had known him in the past. Perhaps she had. Maybe she had even loved him once.

They returned to their bodies and opened their eyes.

 “About time Twinkle Toes,” Toph muttered.

 “Tell me you got something good?” Sokka asked them. The rest of the group came back when they realized the two masterbenders had returned.

 “Well, we know that Azula is the Sun Princess.”

 “The what?” Sokka asked before he could explain.  “I’m the spirit child of Agni and Tui, well I guess Yue’s sort of my mother now too, which is weird, since she’s my age.”

“What’s a spirit child and why was this worth a 12 hour field trip?” Toph questioned.

 “You are so impatient,” Azula chided. “It means I can summon Agni and he will help me kick the crud out of Koh. The only problem is, we still don’t know how Aang is supposed to seal Koh into the spirit world. The library had nothing, so I think he needs to find a source of knowledge that pre-dates the library.”

“What predates the spirit library?” Aang asked her.

 “How about a land-turtle?”

The Gaang decided that Aang should go on the same spirit journey he went on in the original timeline, since he still needed to learn how to energybend and the land turtle would be the one most likely to know how to seal Koh. He also might know something on how to prevent time travel, but that could be handled after the war.

“Where do we go?” Zuko asked.

 “Ba Sing Se. Where we’ll find the Order of the White Lotus. Hopefully, someone there has an inkling of what new weapons Ozai has.”

Aang and Momo went off to find the land turtle. The rest of the group went to Ba Sing Se and like Azula had said, they found the Order of the White Lotus.

Needless to say, they were surprised to see the Princess and her friends, but Katara and the others vouched for them.

“Aren’t we missing someone important?” Bumi asked. “Where’s Momo?”

“He’s with Aang,” Azula told him. Damn, he’s crazy.

“Oh, that’s fine.”

“Is my uncle here?” Zuko asked. “We need to talk to him.” They pointed out his tent.

Zuko and Azula went inside. He was surprised to see them together but he hugged them both. “You both are here!”

 “I’m sorry,” Zuko said.  “I’m more sorry. I shouldn’t have taken you to jail,” Azula said, “or tried to kill you, or do any of that other stuff I did.”

“I’m just glad you found your way. How did you find your way?” Iroh addressed his question mostly to Azula. She explained her visit from Roku and how Ozai had merged with Koh and they had some future weapons, but they didn’t know exactly what they had, but imagine deadly and hard to destroy.

 “Koh wants to lay waste to the world. He promised Ozai he’d be king for life and then Koh gets everything afterwards. If we don’t win now, there won’t be a world to save.”

Even Iroh was taken aback by his brother’s wickedness. “So you’re taking on a military with unknown firepower and Koh merged with Ozai?”

Azula gulped. “Yep. I’m taking Koh. Aang’s taking Ozai and everyone else will have to deal with the army. My guess is that they have both air attacks and a ground invasion planned. The last time, their skyships got taken out, so I am guessing they have a larger fleet of smaller crafts, making it harder to take down the entire thing.”

Iroh pursed his lips. “How many people do you have?”

Azula counted. “Nine people including me and Aang.” They had two warriors, assuming Suki showed up tomorrow like she did in the other timeline, an earthbender, a chi blocker, an assassin, a waterbender, two firebenders, and an avatar.

“I think you will need more people and you should see if you can get an air craft or two from the Northern Air temple.”

Iroh was right. They would need more than just Appa to fight an air fleet.

While the royal family was planning, Sokka was talking to Piando, Katara with Pakku, Toph with Bumi and Ty Lee was socializing with the freedom fighters while Mai scowled. She didn’t know why but seeing boys fawning over her friend was irritating.

 “Do you think you’ll need more fighters?” Haru asked.

“I’m sure we can use more help. We don’t exactly know what we’re up against.”

To Mai’s chagrin, they ended up taking Haru, Jet and some other boys with them. They went to the Northern Air Temple. Kai’s dad did not want to get involved with the war again, but when Azula explained what would happen if they lost, he changed his mind.   “I can give you guys two sky ships, well lend if they survive and I got rid of all of my weapons already, but I have gunpowder I had been using to make fire works. You could turn them into some type of bomb to take out the sky ships.”

 Sokka had an idea. “We could attach the gunpowder to rocks for the earthbenders to launch and they’ll explode on impact.”

“We should probably make them tomorrow, so we don’t have live bombs on our ship all night,” Zuko added.


	13. Aang’s Spirit Journey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aang's journey to get ready for Sozin's Comet.

The avatar visited his past lives to find out advice they had for him for tomorrow. Roku said that patience would win the battle. “Don’t rush the battle. Ozai will have a lot of strength tomorrow, but he will tire more easily since supporting Koh will drain a lot of his energy.”

 Kyoshi was more direct. “Don’t go into the avatar state until Azula weakens Koh and don’t turn your back to him during the battle, for any reason.”

Kurak was next. “You have to be able to let Azula go. Koh will exploit your affection for her if you don’t.” Aang nodded. He had a painful memory of what happened when he had failed to let go the last time.

Yangchen concurred with her successors and she added “make sure your actions are thought out. Koh has a way of getting under people’s skin.”

When Aang woke up, he found himself on a moving island. “I’m on the land turtle.” He dove into the water and asked for help. 

The land turtle taught Aang how to energybend. 

“How do I seal Koh?”

“You can spiritbend him like you would energybend. Once you get him back in the spirit world, you’ll know what to do with him.”

Aang had one more question, but he didn’t know if he should ask it, especially right now.  “What is it Aang?” Land turtles were very perceptive.

“How do you know if you’re in love?” He still didn’t know how to classify his feelings for Azula or how his desire for Katara started waning out of no where. He felt like he had led her on even though that wasn’t his intention.

“I’m not sure if I can answer that without any context. It’s a different feeling for everyone. Why don’t you tell me what you are feeling and I’ll give you what advice I can?”

“Katara and I have been friends ever since we got out of the iceberg. I wanted us to be more and we kissed on the Day of the Black Sun, but I wasn’t sure if she wanted to be with me. 

Then, Azula joined us and ever since we went to the Sun Warriors’ Temple, my view of her has changed. I can’t get her out of my head and all of my thoughts of her are lustful. I don’t know which feeling is love. Is it the girl who I’ve gotten to know over time and have become close to emotionally or the one who I, in a sense, just met but really turns me on?”

“You said everything changed at the Sun Warriors’ Temple. Did you see the dragons dance and learn the true meaning of firebending?”

“Yes.”

“And after that, you noticed Azula change.”

“I did,” he remembered how emotional the experience was for her, like a rock had been lifted off of her heart. Her change affected him too.

 “And your view of her changed.”

 “It did.”

 “Then your first connection to her wasn’t sexual, but it was spiritual. Her spirit was freed when she learned the truth behind firebending. The trip allowed her to fully detach from what her father had conditioned her to believe and see who she really was. When you saw her true spirit, you became attracted to her. Don’t write off your feelings for her as just hormones. There’s more going on.”  

Aang nodded. Finally someone made sense of what was going on in his head.

“But this isn’t the time to mull your relationship with her. You have a battle in less than an hour Aang. Let it go until your job is done.”

“Thank you.”


	14. Sozin's Comet I

Once Team Avatar saw the tanks on the ground and the jets in the air, they split into three groups. They decided to have two groups in the air and one on the ground figuring the groups in the air could also strike the tanks once they took out the jets. On the ground was Ty Lee along with Mai, Haru and Jet.

On Air Team One was Suki along with Katara and Toph and Air Team Two was Sokka along with Zuko and Azula. Azula would be leaving on Appa once Ozai appeared with Koh, but it looked like he was sending his troops in first. 

“Our best advantage is surprise,” Haru said to his group. The massive metal tanks were about to come by where the team was hiding, demolishing everything in its path along the way. Jet had bombs to ruin the tanks firing capacity. Haru was going to use his earthbending to jam the treads. Once the soldiers got out of the tanks, Ty Lee and Mai would begin their attack, chi blocking and knifing as many of them as possible.

The tanks looked indestructable, but Haru was convinced he could jam them with a bunch of tiny rocks filling in the treads. A big rock attack would likely be ineffective.

 _Here goes nothing._ Haru stomped his foot and threw his arm forward, sending a flurry of rocks into the treads of the tanks. The flurry made it hard to see, so Jet took the opportunity to bomb their launching devices. The first bomb did nothing, and neither did the second.

Ty Lee had an idea. She took a bomb and threw it into the firing hole. She quickly ran away and the bomb went off, setting the tank on fire. 

 The attack happened in minutes, stunning the soldiers who expected to trounce anything in their way. The second row quickly got out of their tanks and started launching massave balls of fire.

* * *

 

 In the air, Azula and Zuko studied the planes coming their way.

“How do they move so fast?” the prince questioned.

  
“I’m guessing their engine is powered by some special kind of fuel. How much you want to bet their fuel is flammable?”

  
Zuko smirked. The engines must be in the front, so they can power the propellers. “All we have to do is make a giant stream of fire.”

 The siblings synchronized their chi, sending a cascade of flames that hit the first row of jets. Azula was right about the flammability. Unfortunately, she did not anticipate the magnitude of the recoil. The jets had bombs to drop, so when they set fire to the first row of planes, the bombs went off in mid air, sending both skyships spinning

  
Sokka almost crashed their skyship. “What the shit did you do?” 

Zuko fell on his ass. Azula caught herself at the last minute. “Maybe that wasn’t the best plan, but it worked.”

Zuko had a better idea. “What do you think would happen if we struck the engines with lightening?”

“Probably would short the jets and they’d crash into the ground.”

“Away from us.”

“Hopefully not killing anyone below us.”

Zuko looked. They were in a pretty isolated area. “I think we have to chance it.”

***

Toph could feel the heat from the explosion Zuko and Azula caused. “What are those crazy siblings doing?”

“They just took out like five planes at once,” Katara told her.

“Yeah, and almost killed themselves in the process,” Suki retorted.

Toph had her rock bombs ready to take on the next row of planes. “Aim for their propellers,” Suki said.

“I can’t see,” Toph reminded her.

“Listen for the engine. Aim towards that,” Katara added.

 “Now you’re talking.” Katara could speak Toph’s language. Early on, she learned to describe things for her by using sound, touch, and taste. Katara was not one for talking about smells.

 Toph launched a series of rock bombs, ruining the propellers and forcing the pilots to do various crash landings. A new set of jets returned fire, forcing Suki to fly the skyship away and evade.

 “They have a big fleet,” Katara commented. They must have had 50 planes.

“Well, we (both teams) just took out ten,” Suki said. “40 more to go.”

 


	15. Sozin's Comet II

As the comet drew closer, Kozai got on his own ship ready for battle. They took a new and improved skyship to show off their power with King of the World emblazed on the side for Ozai.

In the distance, he saw Aang getting onto their battle ground.  
  
“Time to annihilate the Avatar!”

Aang was ready. “Stay patient. Plan my attacks. Don’t get Koh get in my head.”

Momo cheered when he saw Appa coming towards them. On him was the Sun Princess, channeling her father.

“Are you ready, Agni?”

“I am. Our merger will only take a minute.” A ray of light came down from the sun, catching Azula’s back. Agni found his spirit from within her and anchored on, his thoughts merging with hers as they shared a common destiny.

“I’ve never had someone in my head before,” Azula told him.

“I haven’t merged with your spirit in over 500 years, so I feel a bit weird too.”

“What happened the last time?”

“I’ll tell you later.”

Azula nodded and jumped to land on the rock. She and Aang looked at each other, a shared look of admiration and affection.

“He loves you too,” Agni told her.

“How did you …?” Oh yeah, shared thoughts.

“You have to let Aang go for now. Don’t let Koh exploit your affection for him. Keep on the stone cold face you do so well.”

Kozai ran and jumped off the sky ship. Ozai was troubled that his daughter joined the avatar.  
  
“This changes nothing,” Koh insisted. He didn’t know that for sure, but he needed Ozai to have 100% confidence or he would surely lose.

It wasn’t until Koh got closer that he saw a glimmer in Azula’s eyes. She wasn’t alone in her mind. “It can’t be,” Koh thought to himself. 

“Yes it’s me,” Agni said to him, speaking spirit to spirit.

Only the Sun Princess can summon Agni, and she’s not supposed to know who she is. If Agni or Tui break the rules, Koh gets her face. 

“She came to me,” Agni answered, a smirk on his face, not that anyone other than Koh could see it.”

When Kozai landed on the rock, he glared ahead. “Ready to die.” He threw a giant wave of orange-yellow flames at them. Azula shoved her own blue flames right back at him, sending a whip that forced Kozai to roll away, the heat affecting Koh even though the flame missed him.

The spirit had fought Agni before, but never merged with the Sun Princess and during Sozin’s Comet. Koh had miscalculated.

Kozai launched powerful attacks, able to strike at both Aang and Azula at the same time, but both of them returned his fire, deflecting every attack he sent. Ozai had been promised that it would only take a few hits to kill Aang with this combined power but Azula and Agni complicated the fight, preventing Kozai from using their full force at the avatar.

Aang and Azula were tiring Kozai out, weakening him, so that their blows would be harder to escape. Azula went on offense first, sending fire whips and fire disks at their enemy.

Aang saw Azula closer to the edge than he wanted her, but he didn’t want to get himself in the middle of the blazing flames, putting them both at risk. Instead, he made a rock wall on the edge of the cliff. Azula saw it and ran along it, jumping forward with a combination fire whip and kick.  
  
“It’s almost time,” Agni told Aang, speaking spirit to spirit. He nodded and went to dive into the water so he could get into the avatar state. Kozai saw him and threw a monstrous lightening bolt. Azula jumped in front of him, redirecting the bolt across her body and launching it into the sky.

 


	16. Sozin's Comet III

Mai took down the first firebender that came their way, but the second one was too close for comfort. Ty Lee tried to chi block him, but his flames were too hot to get near. The girls had to run for it. 

 Haru and Jet saw their plight and Haru launched rocks at the man’s ankles while Jet threw bombs at the other firebenders, trying to keep them back. The bombs only gave them a little bit of space, since the firebenders began to run around them. 

Ty Lee looked over her shoulder and she had an idea. “Mai, they all abandoned their tanks to chase us.”

 “Well duh!”

“Let’s steal the tanks.”

The girls quickly looped back around, confusing the firebenders who didn’t expect two unarmed girls to run towards them. Mai and Ty lee jumped into the nearest tank and began to “drive it.” Mai wasn’t sure how to control it, so she was kind of crashing into the other tanks. This wasn’t a bad strategy of attack, so she just started ramming thems as Ty Lee fired at the Fire Nation’s weaponry.

 Haru and Jet saw them and stole their own tank. Haru had an easier time driving and Jet fired, taking out the other firebenders before they could get back on their crafts.   
   
“What the heck are the girls doing?” Jet asked.  
   
Haru shook his head. “Maybe you should drive their tank and send one of the girls with me.”

 “Like they would let a ‘man’ drive for them.”

Haru laughed. “You’re totally right, just let them crash. It’s more fun that way.”

A new brigade of tanks was coming and the ground team would fight fire with fire.

***  
 In the Air.

 A giant lightening bolt cut through the sky and hit a fighter jet, instantly blowing it up and starting a fireball that spread to the nearby jets. The explosion set one plane crashing into one of the sky ships. Toph shrieked as she fell off the side. Katara grabbed her, holding on with one hand as she made sure they didn’t go over the edge. 

Toph’s hand was sweaty and slippery. “Don’t drop me Sugar Queen.”

“I won’t.”

 True to her word, the waterbender held on until Sokka could get his ship to them, giving the girls an escape route. Suki jumped first.

 “We have to jump Toph.”

 The girl was terrified as she could not see anything, her feet dangling over the edge.

“It will be okay.” Katara jumped off the ship, holding a screaming earthbender as they reached the ship below. Zuko caught them, well sort of. They pretty much fell on him.

 “Oof!”

 “Sorry Zuko.”

 “Hey Sparky!” 

 Suki hugged her boyfriend. “You came to our rescue.”

 “See, I do some stuff right,” he said with a chuckle.

 Toph was still holding onto Katara, even though she was safe and sound. She was nice to hold.


	17. Sozin's Comet IV

Azula finally found an opening. She threw a fire whip, but instead of throwing it directly at Kozai, she threw it behind him and pulled it forward, catching his left leg and making his knee hit the ground. She quickly threw a firekick to his chest and then another blow straight to the head.

Koh realized Ozai wasn’t going to make it at this rate and took the energy he had to jump out of Ozai. Leaving was easy. It was the merger that took so long. Koh looked for another life to possess, but there was nothing around. It didn’t matter anyway. Agni jumped out of Azula and tackled Koh, preventing the spirit from escaping.

Ozai’s head was disoriented. He hadn’t had Koh out of his head in over a weak. He didn’t know how to think on his own. Koh made sure he forgot how.

By the time he started to realize what had just happened, the avatar returned. Aang trapped Ozai in rock, taking his bending from him once again and leaving him even more broken than he had been the first time. 

Koh was next. Aang reached into his spirit and took his ability to steal faces. He returned to his normal state and then took Koh into the spirit world. Azula guarded his body with her life.

Ozai was losing his mind. He couldn’t understand how Koh could just abandon him like that. He had given the spirit everything he wanted, and was left in shambles.

“How could you do this?” he hissed, but Koh was already gone. Azula thought he was talking to her. She didn’t even want to dignify them with a response.

“You betrayed everyone, Ozai. Your family, your nation, the world. You can’t be that surprised that your partner in crime betrayed you too. There’s no honor amongst those who want to see the world burn.”

“You would ruin your own father?”

“I don’t need you Ozai. I never did. I have a much better father anyway.”

Agni was glad to see his little girl finally free. 

Aang held onto Koh by the scruff ofhis neck. He needed to find a use for him. Spirits shouldn’t be left to waste, even evil ones. Koh did have a lot of knowledge. Aang had an idea. He went to the knowledge spirit.

“Do you want an assistant?”

“That would be lovely.”

He handed over Koh. “He’s yours now.”

Koh was livid. He was stuck in the spirit library. What a horrid punishment.

Aang saw Tui in the library.

“Aang, I knew you would come. Good job with Koh.”

“Thanks. I do need to go back soon.”

“Before you do, I want to show you something.”

The former moon spirit showed him the family trees of Avatars Wan, Joki and Oren Li.  
  
Aang wasn’t sure why he was looking at them until Tui pointed at their wives. Each one had a moon symbol and a sun symbol by their names.

“They all married the Sun Princess?”  
  
“Our daughter was lonely before she met Wan,” Tui explained. “I saw Wan and thought, what a nice man, so I set her up with him. They fell in love, but what I didn’t realize was that their spirits fell in love independent of who they were. When they were both reborn in their new incarnations, they fell in love again, and again.… 

Even though you don’t have the memories from your past lives, you do remember the feelings you have with spirits you knew before. The Avatar and the Sun Princess keep falling in love because all of the love from their past lives aggeggates, each love being more potent than the one before.

Oren Li wasn’t the best Avatar. He was a fun guy and people liked him, but he didn’t do so well with actually solving the world’s problems. Instead he liked to show off his firebending or spend time with our daughter. The other spirits saw his closeness to her as a problem and when they realized she was my daughter with Agni, they were furious that we broke the rules and according to them “created a nightmare.” That’s why they wouldn’t let us guide our daughter unless she came to us first. They didn’t want the Avatar and the Sun Princess to fall in love anymore. 

Despite their wishes, you and Azula found each other anyway. To be together, you will have to be able to show the other spirits that your love won’t keep you from doing your job. Your spirits have been in love for almost 10,000 years.”

Aang’s eyes got huge when he realized how long this bond has been building.

“That’s a lot of love. You two have been together almost as long as Agni and I have. Don’t be afraid of your feelings. They will feel sudden and rushed, but it’s been 500 years since you two have last been together. There will be a certain sense of urgency.”

Aang nodded.

“Take good care of her Aang.”

“I will Tui.”

 


	18. Sozin's Comet V

Mai totaled her tank, leaving Ty Lee with limited shooting options. Haru and Jet took out the rest of the tanks and the quartet went out to fight once more. This time, they were able to coordinate their attack better. Haru launched rocks at the enemy tanks which and when the firebenders went to evade them, Jet launched bombs at their feet, getting them off balance. Mai started throwing knives and she brought plenty of them. Ty Lee chi blocked anyone who got too close and they took down the batillion.

Other than a burn on Mai’s arm, they were unscathed.

Haru had some aloe, and Ty Lee took care of her arm.

“This must hurt.”

“It’s not that bad,” Mai lied.

“You don’t have to lie,” Ty Lee said as she kissed the girl above the wound.

Mai looked at her. Ty Lee could always tell when she wasn’t really alright, despite everyone else’s insistence that Mai just didn’t give a shit, ever.

They waited for the rest of the group to come pick them up. There were dead or passed out Fire Nation soldiers all over the ground. Ty Lee wanted to move away from the sight and the smell.

“Are you okay?” Mai asked her

Ty Lee shook her head. She rested it on Mai’s shoulder, and the girls stayed side by side.

***

Aang returned and he and Azula looked at each other, lovingly. Agni could tell it was his time to leave, so he bid them farewell.

“Shall I take Ozai to the sky ship for you?”

“Please do,” Azula said. “Thanks Dad.”

“Any time.” He did not particularly want to be there for what was going to happen next. Agni took Ozai and flew off to the sky ship, leaving the boulders on the former Fire Lord’s hands and feet. 

The Princess’s hands found Aang’s shoulders. His hands took her waist and he pulled her close to him, kissing her gently. It started as a slow pressing of lips, but it wasn’t long before he was nibbling on her lower lip, eliciting a moan from her mouth. He loved hearing her and he pulled her closer, running his hands up her back.  
  
She arched her back into him, her breasts pressing into his chest as her body burned for more. She wondered if the comet heightened her lust like the moon did with waterbenders because she was overwhelmed with her desperation. Every touch was new to her, but it felt familiar like she had done this many times before. 

Aang felt a similar feeling of rememberance and his hands slipped down to her round behind, squeezing her cheeks as her leg wrapped around his waist. Her other leg wrapped around him and he held her up, her heat pressing against him. The kiss was so hot, he was afraid he’d drop her. Her skin searing on contact as he touched her.

All it took was a slight jerk of his hips to make sure he had a hold on her to get her to break the kiss with a salacious moan. Talk about a first kiss.

“I feel like my purpose in life is to love you,” Azula said to him, “to kiss you, and make love to you, like I was built just for this moment.” His lips hit her jaw and neck. She was his and he was hers.

“I want you so bad,” he hissed into her ear, his hot breath driving her wild.

“I want to ride you,” she growled, immediately embarrased that she said that out loud, her face turning pink.

“Don’t be embarrassed,” Aang told her. “I’m all yours, and you’re all mine. I want you to be able to tell me what you want.”

“But we’re moving so fast, and I don’t want to slow down.”

“Our spirits have been in love since the first avatar,” he told her. “Every reincarnation, we found each other until the spirits started trying to keep us apart 500 years ago. I love you, Azula. I loved you before I was born, and I will love you after I die. They can’t keep us apart any longer,” he said.

She kissed him passionately. 500 years sounded like a long enough wait.

***

There will still jets in the air when Agni came to the ship with a captive Ozai.

“Can you make them go away?” Toph asked about aircrafts.

“Sure.”  
  
Agni threw a wave of fire, incinerating all of them in one go. What were fighter jets were now just ash. He could have done that with Kozai, but Aang and Azula had to learn to fight together. Besides, what would be the fun in him doing all the work for them?

The Air Team was stunned. “How?” Sokka muttered.

“I am the spirit of the sun.”

“So you’re Azula’s spirit dad, and Zuko just gets the Loser Lord?” Toph inquired.

Zuko growled. Azula was born lucky.

“You can make your own luck Zuko,” Agni told him before he left, going back to his place in the sun.

“Let’s go get the others,” Katara said, reminding them there were others.

They picked up the ground forces and Katara started healing Mai’s arm. Ty Lee held her other hand the whole time.

“Thanks,” Mai said, glad her friend stayed by her side.

Zuko was chatting away with Sokka. He hadn’t even seemed to notice Mai’s arm. She scowled.

“Don’t feel bad. Boys are dumb,” Ty Lee offered.

“Especially our friends,” Katara added.

“Nice one!”

Appa came back when the fighting was over. Azula had told him to hide until then. He lead the rest of the group to where he had dropped off Azula and there she was, kissing Aang.

Zuko’s eyes damn near bugged out of his head. “What is he doing?”

“I knew they’d figure it out,” Ty Lee responded.

He glared at her. “Let me guess. Their aura’s are pink.”

“No, they’re red.”

Zuko was about to ask what was the difference and then he remembered. The prince made a gagging noise.

Appa swooped in, ready to pick up his buddy and his girlfriend. 

“I think it’s time for us to go home,” Azula said.

Aang looked up and saw their friends waiting. “Oh, well that’s too bad.”

“I have my own bedroom suite you know.” 

He smirked.

They got on Appa and went up to the ship.

They flew back to the Fire Nation to declare the war over. On the way, they stopped at Boiling Rock where Ozai would be imprisoned.


	19. Prove Yourself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko struggles with how to be Fire Lord.

Zuko was in a bit of a rut. He was excited that they saved the world, but he was anxious about becoming the next Fire Lord. How would he handle the problems that were sure to arise both foreign and domestic? Would he be accepted by his country? What new evils would he face?

 He debated asking Azula what happened last time. He asked Mai what he should do, but she seemed to be staring out into space.

 “Mai, were you listening?”

 “What?” she turned. She had been, but then she zoned out. How much could she hear him ramble about his insecurities and self-doubt.

“I asked what you thought about me asking Azula about the original timeline.”

“Oh, well she might have some useful information, but who knows what has changed from then.”

That wasn’t really what Zuko was hoping to hear, but it was pretty spot on.  Zuko looked over to his sister and Aang was running his fingers through his hair. “Do they ever stop?” 

They had just started dating and Zuko was already sick of them.

 Mai grunted, trying to remember a time when Zuko couldn’t keep his hands off her. They had their cute kisses and times holding hands, but it just felt nice. When Mai looked at Aang and Azula, she saw an insatiable need for each other. She wondered if Zuko would ever want her that way. She pined for him while he had been gone, but she wondered if he had pined for her.

When they got back to the palace, Zuko took the crown with little resistance. There were the generals that Ozai had guarding the palace, but when they saw Zuko, Azula, the Avatar and their posse, they bowed and said they were out of the way.

 Zuko immediately started an order to withdraw the troops. Azula had a suggestion for him. “The longstanding colonies will be a tricky matter. I would leave some peace-keeping troops for the time being to prevent any riots and remove everyone else.”

“Were there riots in the original timeline?”

“I don’t know, but it sounds like a likely problem. Once you meet with Kuei, you can decide how to deal with them.” There were lots of Fire Nation citizens who’s families have been there before the war. It was home to them, so to kick them all out would anger people who had nothing to do with the war as well as cause economic disruption to the region, but staying might make the Fire Nation look greedy. It wouldn’t be an easy choice.

Zuko thought about it and it made sense. “Is there anything from the original timeline that you think will help?”

Before she answered, Aang had a warning, “be careful Zuko, you don’t want to pre-determine the outcome.”

 “What do you mean?”

“If she tells you what happened last time, you might make choices based on factors that did not occur this time, and you might create the very problem you are trying to solve.”

“Keeping that in mind, I will keep my advice very general, and I suggest that you investigate the current situation before you act on anything I say. 

The colonies will be hard to negotiate because a lot of the Fire Nation citizens have integrated. They’ve married earthbenders. Their children are earthbenders. If you say, Fire Nation come home, families will be split up or Earth Kingdom citizens will have to leave their homes. The new timeline didn’t change this, and you’ll have to negotiate carefully. 

Another problem will be your government. Last time, you removed most of the Ozai loyalists, which gave you a lot of enemies and got a lot of assassination attempts. I’m not saying, you shouldn’t remove most of them now, but you will need to use finesse and figure out how you can make sure the powerful families don’t want your head. 

“Anything else?” he asked.

 “You ask Ozai for advice when you don’t know what to do. Don’t do that. I don’t care what timeline we’re in. All he does is make you anxious and it will cause Mai to dump you.”

“I might not need his help in that,” he muttered. Their relationship wasn’t doing so hot.

“Look, Zuko. You’re going to have to prove yourself as Fire Lord, but you have to prove it to yourself first. You have to learn to start trusting your abilities and your own sense of right and wrong before anyone else will. Also, do you research before you sign any treaties or commit to anything.”

“What is that in relation to?”

 “Nothing, it’s just good advice.”

He nodded. Azula wasn’t sure if this was the time, but she gave him a hug. “You’re a good brother, and you’ll be a good Fire Lord. You need to forgive yourself for your past mistakes and focus on all of the positive things you can do for the world.”

Aang and Azula left Zuko to work.


	20. Do You Like What You See

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aang and Azula take their first bath together.

So what did you want to do before dinner?” Aang asked her.  “I do need a bath.”

 “So I’ll see you at dinner?”

 “You aren’t going to join me.” Aang heard that and he airbended her into his arms, carrying her as he started running down the hall. 

 “Do you even know where my bathroom is?”

“Nope. Direct me Princess.”

They make it into her bathroom where her servants were awaiting her, seeing her for the first time since she had left the palace to go to Boiling Rock. 

 “I will be taking care of my own bath today.” They left and Aang started the bath water. Azula added scented salts to the tub. She undressed slowly, teasing the avatar with her eyes as she undid the buttons on her robe. 

 He had seen her semi-dressed, but it was nothing like seeing her fully naked, standing in front of him. She had a shapely figure, a large chest, flat stomach with just a hint of ab definition, full hips and lean, strong legs. 

 “Do you like what you see?”

 He tried to speak, but his voice was hoarse all of the sudden. He nodded, his eyes darkening with lust as he removed his shirt. He pulled her closer, their torso’s pressing against each other as he kissed her roughly, his tongue demanding access into her mouth. She eagerly granted it and unfastened his belt, sending his pants to the floor. 

 Once he was naked, they got into the bath tub where Azula insisted on washing him first. He closed his eyes as she used a sponge to wash his back and then his front, her chest pressed against his back as she rubbed his chest and stomach and then her hands went lower. 

She was careful to wash him all over and as soon as she was done, he pulled her into the tub. Using their bath as an opportunity to kiss and grope her all over. He washed her directly, covering his hands in soap and using them to touch her everywhere. “You’re so sexy,” he moaned in her ear as he pulled her close to him for another kiss.

After their bath, they donned towels, walking to her bedroom which connected to her bathroom. Azula put on a simple red sundress and Aang put on a grey shirt that matched his eyes and white pants.

The servant came to tell them dinner was ready and the couple was off. 

The Princess and the Avatar walked hand in hand to the dining room. 

“It’s about time. I’m starving,” Sokka declared.

“You’re always starving,” Katara retorted.

They sat down and the feast began. Sokka’s eyes bugged out when he saw the giant roast coming their way. Laughter and banter filled the room as trays of food came in for the war heros. 

Attraction was in the air. Haru had his sights on Ty Lee whose affection for Mai had been growing. Toph’s heart has been skipping a beat around Katara ever since the waterbender saved her on the sky ship. The young earth bender was clueless about romance, never having given it much thought. Jet also had his sights on the waterbender, hoping for a chance to win her affections once again. 

Sokka’s primary interest at the moment was in his food, but Suki knew he would be hers once dinner was over. Aang and Azula kept playing footsie under the table, grazing each other’s arms, looking at one another. The sun was setting. Agni was about to leave until the next day. He liked finally seeing his daughter where she belonged.


	21. Girls vs. Boys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They have girls night and a guys night.

During dinner, Ty Lee couldn’t help but notice that the Princess had a hickey forming on her neck. Knowing that the princess’s experience with boys was limited, she thought it would be good to have a girls’ chat with her before well, she got pregnant. 

“Why don’t we have a girls night?” Ty Lee proposed to Azula. “We have so much to talk about.”

 Azula blushed. That they did. “Can we use your room?” She didn’t want to upend Aang who had already unpacked.

“Sure. I take it Aang is staying in your room.”

Azula nodded.

The firebender went to tell him that she and Ty Lee (and presumably Mai) would be having a girls’ night.

Aang wanted her to have her time with her friends. “Have fun.” He kissed her, and she pulled him closer, tugging on his shirt as they embraced.

“Get a room!” Zuko scowled at them.

“We already have one,” Azula said after she broke away.

The soon to be Fire Lord rolled his eyes. 

Aang figured if the girls were having their own fun tonight, he should figure out what the other guys are up to.

Haru and Jet were looking for some booze. “Aang, do you know where the whiskey is?”

 They got a servant who came back with a bottle.   “Ever do shots?” Jet asked the avatar.

“Nope.” They didn’t drink at the Air Temple.

 They each poured a shot and cheered. “To Friends,” said Jet as they downed their shots. The burn surprised Aang, but the sweet/spicy finish was nice. He burped a small flame.  
   
“Haha!” 

***

The three best friends were on their way to Ty Lee’s room when Katara asked where they were going.

 “We’re having a girls’ night. Do you and Toph want to join us?”

 “I’m in, but I’ll have to see about Toph. She’s more of a roll around in dirt kind of girl.”

 “Even fighters like gossip,” Azula replied.

Toph normally despised such activities, but Katara would be there, so she agreed. Suki and Sokka were in their own world, so Katara didn’t get her.

Azula was relieved at that because the tension between the her and the warrior had yet to dissipate.

The five girls conviened in their pjs and with pillows and blankets. The first question was, what all happened to everyone before they met up.

“I drove a tank,” Mai said.  “You crashed the tank,” Ty Lee teased.  The assassin cracked a tiny smile. Azula noticed. The girl never smiles. 

“Katara saved my life,” Toph added, “when this lightening bolt came out of no where. It blew up this jet in front of us and the explosion damaged our ship.”

 “One bolt caused that kind of damage?” Ty Lee had never seen anything like that before.

 “It was huge. I didn’t know Sparky had it in him.”

“Zuko didn’t throw it,” Katara added. “I asked him about it and he had no idea where it came from.”

Azula recalled her redirecting Koh’s bolt. “I think that was Koh’s. He threw lightening at Aang, but he wasn’t looking, so I jumped in front of him and redirected it. I just threw it in the sky.”

“Damn, you almost took us out!”

“Sorry.”

 “You would think Aang would have learned not to turn his back an opponent who can throw lightening,” Azula quipped. It’s a good thing she had his back this time.

“To think you took a bolt for Aang,” Katara said. The girl had once thrown them at him.

  “She probably takes a lot from him,” Ty Lee said.

 “Inappropriate,” Azula hissed, not that it wasn’t true. Katara blushed. She had been surprised when they got together, but she wasn’t upset, which also surprised her. Aang was a good friend and he was happy, which was good enough for her.

“How did you and Twinkle Toes get together anyway?”

 Azula wasn’t sure where to start. Did she start with their kiss or with their history?

“Well, I realized that I liked him after we visited the sun warrior’s temple, but I wasn’t sure what would happen in this timeline, since we never became allies in the last one and he had married someone else.” Katara gave her a knowing look. “When Agni and I merged, Aang and I were looking at each other, and Agni made it pretty easy.” 

He loves you too.

“After Agni took Ozai to the ship, we kissed and everything felt so familiar, the way he held me, the way he chewed on my lip. It was like we had been made for each other.”

“Aw, how sweet!” Ty Lee cooed.

 “Yuck!” Toph retorted, uneasy about Twinkle Toes being all grown up. He was still a goofy little boy in her mind. 

“As it turns out, the Avatar and the Princess of the Sun have fallen in love repeatedly ever since the first avatar cycle.”

“When was that?” Katara asked her.

 “Aang said it was almost 10,000 years ago.”

Everyone looked stunned. “That long?”

 Azula nodded.

 “Is that why you two can’t keep your hands off each other?” Mai questioned. Maybe there wasn’t anything wrong with her and Zuko after all. No one could compare to a 10,000 year relationship.

 “Our spirits have been separate for the past 500 years because the other spirits interfered. I guess there was a lot of unresolved tension.”

 “Was?” Toph retorted. “His heart’s damn ready to explode every time he looks at you. I thought he was going to have an episode during dinner.”

The aura reader noticed Toph’s aura getting a pink tinge. Who was her new crush?

***  
“You are a lucky man, Aang.” Jet told him as they took their second shot. Now, they had settled on Azula’s pavillion. “Azula is fucking hot.” 

 “She’s perfect,” the avatar agreed.

“How long have you been together?” Haru asked.  “Well, we’ve been together since our battle ended. Our spirits have been together since the first avatar cycle.”

“What?” Jet asked.

Aang realized Jet didn’t understand. “Azula is the Princess of the Sun. Her spirit reincarnates too.”

“Is she always a firebender?” Haru asked.

 “No. She can be a waterbender too, but it’s always water or fire. Agni’s her spirit father and Tui was her spirit mother.”

“And she always ends up with the avatar?” Jet asked.

 “Until the past 500 years when the other spirits interfered, yeah.”

“What if the avatar’s a girl?” Haru inquired.

 “They still end up together.” Aang had noticed that the avatar spirit always dates girls, no matter the gender of the avatar.

“HOT!” Jet and Haru high fived. Aang laughed. He usually didn’t think of his past lives as hot, but he understood the appeal.

“So does that mean that you two have crazy spirit sex?” Jet asked.

 Aang blushed. “Well we haven’t done everything yet, but it’s been really great thus far.” They seemed to instinctively know what made the other one feel good.   

“Why aren’t you hitting that right now?” Haru poured the third shots.

“The girls are having their ‘girl time.’” Aang didn’t mind it. He wanted to have Azula, but he wanted the time to be just right. No reason to rush.

“And cockblocking all of us,” Jet complained.

 “Well, that’s what girls do best,” Haru added

“Who are you trying to get with?” Aang asked.

 “Ty Lee is so hot,” Haru growled.

 “Katara’s hot too,” Jet added. “And I’m sure her brother will tell her to stay away from me. You’re lucky you’re the avatar, Aang. Zuko can’t tell you shit, even if he is the Fire Lord.”

“Zuko wouldn’t try to keep us apart anyway. I’m sure he just wants Azula to be happy.”

 “Get real dude,” Haru added. “Brothers always want to stop anyone who’s trying to get with their sister.”

“But we’re friends.”

 “Even more of a reason,” Jet added. “You have no idea how many older brothers I’ve gotten into scuffles with over girls.”

“How many were your fault,” Aang asked innocently.  

“Touche, my man. I might have caused some of them by being dumb.”

“Speaking of brothers, where is Zuko?” Haru asked.

 Aang shrugged. “Probably working nonstop. He needs to calm down. If he overworks himself, he’ll just be exhausted and won’t be able to do anything.”

“Let’s get the man a drink,” Haru roared.

***

Meanwhile the girls were sharing a bottle of moon peach wine, talking about their relationships.  “So what’s with you and Haru?” Azula asked her.

 “He likes me,” Ty Lee said honestly. “And he’s cute, but I’m not feeling that spark. He’s more of a Mr. Right Now, than a Mr. Right.”

“So he’s a concubine?” Azula asked, confused.

Toph cracked up. “How much does he charge?”

“He’s not a concubine,” Ty Lee insisted. “And we haven’t done anything. I’m just considering having some fun.”

Mai growled. For some reason the idea of Ty Lee just hooking up with Haru bothered her.  “Something wrong, Mai?”

 “No. I’m just not ….”

Katara offered, “If you don’t want to tell us, you don’t have to, but what happens in this rooms stays in this room.”

Mai relented. “I’m just sick of feeling like I’m not a priority for Zuko anymore. I know the war was a huge deal and he’s going to be Fire Lord now, but I just feel like I’m no where on the list. We only talk when it’s about his work. He didn’t even come to see how I was doing when I burned my arm today.”

“Looks like Sparky needs a knuckle sandwich,” Toph suggested.

 “I will always volunteer to slap some sense into my brother.”

“You should talk to him,” Katara advised. “If something’s wrong, he can’t fix it unless he knows.”

Mai nodded. She just wished he was thinking of her. How many times would she have to tell him to do that? 

“Azula will probably go through that too at some point,” Ty Lee added. “Aang’s going to be quite busy as the avatar.”

“Nope. He can’t escape me. If he has to save the world, he’s taking me with him,” Azula resolved. “I will not be a stay at home wife. Nope!”

“DId you just refer to yourself as his wife?” Toph snickered.

“You know what I mean.”

“He won’t be of age for a while,” Mai added, noting marrying age in their country was 16.

 “Cradle Robber,” Ty Lee teased.  “He’s 112 years old, and I’ll be of marrying age next year, not that we’re getting married then.”

“His frozen years don’t count,” Mai retorted. It’s not like he’s old and wrinkly.

 ***

Zuko was trying to figure out what to do with his prisons. He had written the order to release their “enemies” immediately, but he needed someone to go there tomorrow to make sure the orders were honored as well as decide who will be running the prisons. He couldn’t veyr well have the people who Ozai hired guarding him. Should he serve his sentence in the Earth Kingdom. He’d be scarce for allies there.

There was a knock on his door. “Come in!”

It was Aang. “Hey Zuko. What are you up to?”

“Just work,” he growled.

 “Well, if you want a break, we’re drinking on Azula’s pavillion.”

“Everyone?”

 “Just the guys, well minus Sokka since he’s with Suki.”

Zuko hissed, annoyed that everyone else was in lala land while he felt like he was drowning. “Let’s do it.” He got up and went to go get a drink. If the monk can get drunk, so can he.

“It’s the Fire LORD!” Haru yelled. “Flaming shots.”

 They poured the next round. Zuko lit them all. 

 “Bros over Hos!” Jet cheered as they drank.

Aang had no idea what the saying meant, but he didn’t say anything.

“So,” Jet asked Zuko after his first shot, “how’s life as the FIRE LORD!”

“Busy, tiring, overwhelming.”

“I can relate to that,” Aang growled. “But on the bright side, at least you have Mai.” Aang was very happy with Azula. Even the thought of her put a smile on his face.

Zuko did not have such an expression. 

 “Trouble in paradise?” Haru asked.

Zuko didn’t even know what was wrong. “I don’t know. Things were good, and then they were less good, but I’m not sure what changed.”

“Maybe you should do something together,” Aang suggested. “Like go out for the afternoon.”

“Or a late night romp,” added Jet. “Kaboom!”

“Nothing like some one on one time with a lady to make you feel good. You know what I’m saying,”

Haru slapped Aang’s back, making him fire burp.

 Zuko hissed.

 “My bad,” Haru said, remembering that Aang was “feeling good” with Zuko’s sister.

“We’ve never even had sex,” Zuko admitted. “And I doubt it’s coming any time soon.”

“You know girls like all that romance razmataz,” Jet laughed. “Like rose petals and shit.”

“And wine,” Haru added. “Lot’s of wine.”

 “You’ve had a bunch of lives,” Jet asked. “What do you know about romance?”

Aang shrugged. He kind of have it easy in that department. Since Azula’s spirit and his know each other, it’s instinctive. “I haven’t asked my past lives or anything, but I think it’s about showing that you care. Girls like it when you spend time with them, listen to their hopes and fears, also kissing, lots of it.”

Zuko gagged at the thought of Aang kissing his sister  
.  
 “I would sure like to kiss Ty Lee,” Haru said.  

“Really. I figured you wanted her mouth somewhere else,” like on his other head.

 “Gotta start somewhere.” The bros high fived. “What about you and Katara?”

 “I think it’s an uphill battle, but she’s worth it.”

“Stand strong my man.”

****

“What do you think the boys are doing?” Katara asked.

 “Probably getting trashed and running their big mouths,” Azula retorted as she poured herself another glass.

“Boys always know how to talk big,” Ty Lee added. “The problem is their delivery. You would think they’d be better at sex since they talk about it so much.”

“And by talking you mean complaining about not getting any,” Toph teased.

“How can you be bad at sex?” Azula asked honestly. From what experience she had, it was absolutely amazing.

 “Not everyone has a 10,000 year old soul mate, Azula. Some guys just want to get in, get out and run away. There’s no passion or even foreplay, just ugh!”

“What do you expect if the guy was just for fun?” Azula responded.  

“What do you mean?”

 “If the guy just wants a good time, then it’s a good time for him, not necessarily for you. If you want better, I think you have to wait for a better caliber of guy, one who cares about you for who you are, not just that you’re really attractive.”

“You think I’m really attractive?” Ty Lee saw herself as a clone.

 “Don’t give me that. Guys fawn over you left and right. The challenge is finding the diamond buried inside of all the rock.”

 “Or in an iceberg,” Toph retorted.

Ty Lee looked at Mai. She saw a diamond, hidden in a tough exterior.

“So you think I should show Haru the door?”

“Do what you want to do, but don’t be surprised if he doesn’t meet your expectations. If it’s a guy you actually want to stick around, then he’ll figure out how to make you happy, even if it takes a few times.”

Mai and Ty Lee were both somber after Azula’s advice. Mai didn’t know if Zuko would try and try again for her, and Ty Lee was ready to try for a girl who was already taken.

“So what do you do when you find a guy you actually like?” Toph asked the group.

Katara was surprised that she was actually thinking about romance. It was easy to forget Toph was a girl sometimes. 

“Who’s the guy?” Ty Lee asked.

“There isn’t one. I was just wondering.”

 The aura reader didn’t buy that for a second, but she decided to play along. “I try to laugh at his jokes, flirt with my eyes, that kind of stuff.”

“Just be yourself,” Azula said. “I tried Ty Lee’s way and I sounded crazy. If you’re not bubbly, don’t fake it for a guy. It’s not worth it. You just attract the wrong kind of guy.”

“Although I would stop picking your feet in public,” Katara said to her, making the earthbender blush.

“Etiquette is a different story,” Azula conceded. “Don’t worry. We can make a pretty girl out of you.”

 “Oh crap! NO WAY!”

“The end of the war banquet is Saturday,” Ty Lee added. “We can all get dolled up together.”

“It’s also a full moon. The perfect time for romance,” Katara continued.

***

As the girls went on about what they wanted to do on Saturday, the guys got trashed.

 “Where’s Sokka?” Zuko slurred, having forgot about him.

 “With Suki,” Aang told him.

 “With her or with her?” Haru thrusted his hips the second time.

 “Probably whipped,” Jet teased.

“Or getting whipped,” Aang teased.

 “Whoa! the monk’s throwing it down.”

“Would you ever let the princess whip you?” Haru inquired.

“Answer that and I’ll kill you,” Zuko added.

“Haha!” Being drunk is fun. “Chill. I have not done anything uncouth with your sister.” Handjobs aren’t uncouth are they?  “And if you do, never tell me.”

“You got it.”

“At least you realize your sister’s going to date some day. Sokka probably just wants to chase away any guy who likes his sister.”

“Katara’s a stubborn girl,” Zuko warned. “If she wants a guy, she’s not going to let him stop her.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“It only helps if she wants you,” Aang said after he took a shot.

“Burn!” Haru laughed.


	22. A Mother's Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azula learns about the sacrifice Tui made to save her.

You know a mother’s love when you see her do whatever it takes to save her child. When Kya lied to Yan Rha, she knew she would die, but she couldn’t let him kill Katara.

When Ursa poisoned Azulon, she became a murderer so her son could live.

Tui interfered with time, so she could save her daughter. 

Kya lost her life. Ursa lost hers too in a way, becoming Noriko and leaving behind all of her memories of her children. Tui was already dead, so one would think she would have had the least to lose. Actually, she had the most. Tui was in serious trouble. She had put the idea in Koh’s head so that he would try to take over the world with Ozai. She needed it to be Koh, since only Agni’s fire will wound him and only Azula could call Agni’s fire, forcing Roku to enter the human world and save his great-granddaugher, so she could save the world. It was the only way to save her. 

Tui broke a bunch of rules. Technically, Roku did too, but he could get away with needing to save life itself to a certain extent. Tui had no excuse, well not one that the other spirits would accept. She spent 500 years watching her daughters live and die and being unable to be a true parent to them. She saw Azula descend into evilness, madness and chaos. Her highs always being followed by disastrous lows until the girl’s spirit broke. 

 Tui couldn’t handle it anymore. She knew there would be consequences if she got caught, but she had to try. She put the world as we know it at risk because despite all of Azula’s mistakes, she believed the girl was good inside, that she would change, that she would become the Sun Princess that she was born to be and she would save the world. Tui was right. She did save the world, and she found her Avatar, but the other spirits were appalled that she would do so much for one girl. 

This is why eternal spirits don’t have children. This is why eternal spirits don’t fall in love, and most certainly their illegal love children should not fall in love with the avatar, distracting him or her, forever.

Koh suggested his punishment should be eased because of her deception, but the other spirits weren’t buying it. They were, however, considering to banish Tui from the spirit world, or even worse vanquish her from all existence. She would not just be dead, but she would also be gone. 

Tui had known this was a possibility, but at the time, saving Azula was all that matters. Now, she’s wondering who will save her. 

As the spirits and the gods debated her future, Tui wept. 

***

Azula woke up and she felt uneasy. She wasn’t hungover, but she just felt terrible. She went out to the pavillion that attached to Ty Lee’s room and she looked up at Agni. He was depressed, so depressed that she could feel it in her spirit.  
   
“What’s wrong, Dad?”

He looked at her. “It’s Tui. She’s in danger.” Agni didn’t know how bad it was, since he was not allowed to the meetings where they discussed her fate, but friends had relayed to him that it was bad, very bad.

“I’ll see what we can do.” Azula didn’t know how a dead spirit could be in danger, but she’d have to find out.  She went to find Aang who was passed out in her bed. She tried to rouse him, but he was sound asleep. She straddled his hips and began to kiss him. 

 Aang’s spirit must have felt that because he jolted awake. “Good morning.”

“Aang, Tui’s in trouble. I don’t know how or why, but it’s so bad that Agni’s depressed. We have to do something.”

Aang frowned. What is going on? “I need some water,” and to pee, “and then we’ll go to the spirit world.”

About 20 minutes later, they sat in Azula’s room, holding hands as they made the journey. They looked for some time and could not find Tui. They went to the knowledge spirit.

 “Do you know where Tui is?” Azula asked him.

 “She’s on house arrest,” he answered.

 “WHAT?” They can do that.

Aang was alarmed. “Why wasn’t I informed, or even asked?” He is supposed to keep balance here too.

“It’s until they decide her fate. She’s in trouble for her role in the war.”

The spirit pointed them to Tui’s “house,” where they found the poor soul weeping. 

“Mom?”

Tui looked up, seeing her daughter and her love finally together. “You came.”

  Azula hugged her. “Of course.”

 “What’s wrong?” Aang asked her.

She explained how she might have subtly given Koh some hints, so he could get a second ending for the war. “I know it was dangerous, but I had to help Azula. You have no idea what it’s like to see your children live and die and not be able to help them for 500 years and to see Azula have so much talent but no way to share it with the world. I just couldn’t do it anymore. I had to find a way to save you. I knew that I couldn’t do it myself or else I would lose you anyway, so I needed a way to redo time.”

 “But why did you pick Koh?” Aang asked, he was the worst of them.

 “I needed Koh because only Agni can burn him and only Azula can summon Agni. It forced the spirit world to break its other rules, which had prevented Roku from saving her earlier. It was the only way to help her.”

Azula’s heart was slowing down. “What are they threatening you with?”

“They might banish me from the spirit world, leaving me in limbo or vanquish me, so I don’t exist.”

Azula was irate and scared. “Aang, you have to stop them.”

 “I will, we will, somehow.” Aang didn’t know how. “Let’s go to the library and see what we can learn about the spirit rules. Maybe there’s a loophole somewhere.” 

Azula hugged her mom again and they left.

 


	23. Prove Yourself II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azula and Aang look for a way to save Tui

Azula had to find a way to save her mom. She risked everything for her, something Ursa never would have done. 

When they got to the library, the knowledge spirit was there. “I need some new information from you two.”

The only thing Aang could think of was gossip. “Did you know that Haru has a crush on Ty Lee?”

Azula snorted.

 “What? You’re kidding me.”

 “Did you know that Ty Lee thinks he’s cute, but she’s not that into him?”

 He growled as they went passed him.

“Did she really say that?”

 “Yeah, you can’t tell anyone.”

He nodded and they started to search. First, the spirit rules.

Aang went and found them. As they skimmed, they saw that the rules were long and complex. They covered all types of behavior from interaction with life forms, special rules for humans, special rules for time and space, special rules for other spirits. Tui could be accused of breaking half of them. 

Azula sighed. “Maybe the penalty section will be better. We can’t say she didn’t do what she did, but maybe there’s a procedural loophole to protect her punishment.”

Aang tried that next. “Punishment of spirits be a matter of last resort and can only be done in good faith as an equitable way of resolving a conflict that resulted from the wrongdoing.”

 “That’s it,” Azula said.   “What’s it?”

“Good faith. I think I have an argument for us to try.”

 It took them some time to conviene enough spirits for quorum, but once they did, Azula started right away. “We’re here to offer Tui’s defense. According to your own rules, punishing her for her actions would be unjust.” Aang wasn’t sure on the arugment itself, but he trusted Azula’s politics

“What? She broke so many rules. She fell in love with a spirit, against the rules, had his child, against the rules, set her up with the avatar hiding her behavior from everyone, and then once we had figured it out and separated them, disrupted time and space to get them back together again. How is punishing her unjust?”

 “Punishments have to be in good faith and serve as an equitable way to resolve a conflict. What conflict does her punishment resolve?”

No one answered.  

“Further, is this in good faith or this in retaliation for being offended that she broke the rules. Punishment isn’t about hurt feelings or revenge, it’s about justice and her missteps were to correct an imbalance. Aang and I are soulmates. We should be together, and conspiring to keep us apart along with prohibiting my parents from reaching out to me caused nothing but unnecessary strife and sadness.”

 “The avatar should not have a soul mate in the first place. His responsibility is to the world.”

The same argument resurfaced, but Aang had an answer.

“I’m not just an avatar. I’m also a man. Every avatar is a person and people have needs. They need food and water. They need shelter. They need love. To expect us to keep the balance in the world, but not be apart of it is intenable. How could I help people if I can’t understand them because I can’t experience what they do?   My spirit will be reborn again and again. It only makes sense that I have a partner who will be too, someone who can understand what it is like to have a tie to what came before you and what will be afterwards. How did you expect the avatar to say sane getting reborn and carrying remnants of his or her past lives without someone to share that with?”

 The spirits argued and despite Azula’s and Aang’s advocacy, they refused to pardon Tui.

 “That leaves us with plan B.”

 “There’s a plan B?” Aang asked as they made their way out.

 There’s always a plan B. “I did some reading while you were looking up stuff on the rules. I’ll explain it once we’re out of here.”


	24. Prove Yourself III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azula and Aang form a new plan to save Tui while the others get ready to go to the beach.

Suki was excited to get her warriors back. When Azula had captured them, she felt that she was a bad leader. When she couldn’t get them out too, she felt lost. She wasn’t just fighting the war for herself, she had to win to get them back, to show them she was really their leader.

She woke up before Sokka and went to see where everyone was.  The girls were eating breakfast.

 “How’s it going?” she asked them.  “Suki, eat with us,” Ty Lee said cheerfully. The girls were still in their pajamas. Ty Lee insisted pj breakfast was mandatory after a sleepover.

 “What happened to everyone else?”

“We had a girls’ night,” Katara said. “Azula was with us, but I think she woke up with the sun. She probably went to go find Aang.”

“They’re so cute,” Ty Lee cooed.

 Suki snorted. “And the boys?”

“Are hungover,” Jet stumbled into the dining room. “Need orange juice.”

Haru appeared behind him. “Zuko’s working. He doesn’t take it easy, does he.”

Mai sighed. 

“We should do something fun today,” Haru said.

 “Like the beach?” Ty Lee asked.

 Jet and Haru looked at each other. Girls in bikinis. Yes. 

“Maybe we can take Appa,” Katara suggested. Great idea, but no one wanted to knock on Azula’s door, lest they be interrupting.  Ty Lee listened. “I don’t hear them doing anything.” She went inside. “They’re in the spirit world, guys.”

“Maybe a palanquin?” Mai suggested.

The group got ready to go to the beach. Mai went to tell Zuko where they were headed.

 “Have fun,” he said, not looking up from his stack of papers. Zuko was reminding Mai of her own father, not a good sign.

Ty Lee was smiling. “This is just what we need. A day to relax, play in the water, tan.”

 “Yeah.” Mai didn’t sound enthusaistic.  Ty Lee could tell she missed Zuko. “I think this is going to prove to be a good day,” Ty Lee said to her friend.  “Why’s that?”

 “Because it’s you and me.”

Mai cracked a small smile. 

***

After they came back from the spirit world, Azula explained her plan to Aang.

 “I says in the book that you can’t vanquish a spirit who’s tied to the physical world.”

“But Tui’s not tied to it anymore.”

“I know. That’s why we’re going to make her the moon spirit again.”

Aang furrowed his brow. “Can we do that? Even if we can, what will happen to Yue?”

“I figured that out too.”

 They didn’t have a lot of time. “We need to leave today,” Azula said. They packed their bags and the princess went to tell her brother.

“Come in.”

 “Hey Zuko. Aang and I are going to the Northern Water Tribe like right now.”

 He put down his book. “Is something wrong?” He was hoping this wasn’t related to the war.  “Yes, and it does not involve the Fire Nation so relax. We’ll try to be back by the banquet.”

 “Is this going to be dangerous? Do you need any backup?”

 Azula shook her head. “We can handle it.”

They took off before the others came back.


	25. The Beach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They go to the beach.

Kuai ball was Mai and Ty Lee vs. Haru and Jet. Katara was having fun waterbending. Toph was making an elaborate sand castle. Sokka kicked it and she made a sand foot to kick his butt and then started again. Suki was sunbathing.   Haru talked a big game but Ty Lee and Mai smoked them. “Girls rule!” high fives for the winners. Haru thought he won too. Ty Lee was in a bikini. 

“How about some ice cream?”

“Great,” she said, grabbing Mai’s hand. “Let’s go.”

 Haru was hoping it would just be the two of them, but he should have seen that coming.

When Katara looked over, she saw Toph’s sand castle. “This is really good.”

 “Thanks. It’s the palace at Ba Sing Se.”

 Katara looked. The likeness was impressive, especially since Toph has never seen it. “That’s amazing.”

 “Well, I am the world’s best earthbender.”

Katara hadn’t forgotten that, but it was still impressive.

 Katara wanted to build something too, so she got some water and made an ice sculpture. She tried to make Kuei. “I made a king,” she handed Toph the ice figure, sending chills down the girl’s spine.

“It’s Kuei!” Toph rebuilt the castle around him, but he started to melt in the heat.

Katara laughed.

The girls wanted to shop afterwards. The boys of course, growled.

 Once they had enough of the heat, it was time to return to the palace.

“You were right,” Mai said. “It did prove to be a good day.”


	26. The Old Switcheroo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aang and Azula stop by Omashu on their way to the Northern Water Tribe

Aang and Azula were in the air. She held onto him as they flew. She knew she was safe, but it felt better to hold him. This had to work. She didn’t know what else to do. She looked into the sky.  “Agni,” she said in her mind. “We’re going to save Tui. There’s no other option.”

Appa needed to rest before, so they stopped in Omashu. “We can stay at the palace.” Once they arrived, the servants promptly brought the duo to the King.  
   
“Aang, Princess. What brings you here?”

“We’re on our way to the Northern Water Tribe, and Appa needed to rest.”

“I’m sure you two do as well. You had quite the day yesterday. It’s not everyday that we have battles with people merged spirits.”

 “Thank Agni we don’t,” Azula muttered. That was exhausting, although if she got a kiss like that from Aang after every battle, maybe.

Of course, Bumi wanted to play an earthbending game. Azula figured she’d be watching, but then she realized, she was the game.   Their was a rockslide and the game was to get the rocks as close to the princess as possible without them hitting her.  “Don’t worry. Bumi’s like the best,” Aang said.

 “That’s why I’m worried.”

Bumi went first and it was most impressive. The rocks were so close to the princess, she could feel them brush against the few hairs on her arm.

 Aang went next. He had a different idea. Once they got close to Azula, Aang turned the rocks into one big rock slab and then earthbended her into it, only for a second or two of course.

 “I win,” the avatar said.

 “But the rocks weren’t supposed to touch her.”

“No, you said they couldn’t hit her and they didn’t. I put her in the rock instead, so I was closer.”

Bumi shook his head. “You tricky boy.”

“How about a game where I don’t get turned into a fossil?”

 “Mail cart riding!” 

Azula shook her head. 

 Of course, as soon as they went down in the carts, the police showed up. Aang earthbended himself and Azula under the slides and then over ground so they could climb into a different cart, illuding the police.

 “The old switcheroo.”

When they saw Bumi, the police shook their head and left. Crazy old King.

The next day, Aang and Azula woke up at sunrise to get ready to leave. Azula wrote Bumi a thank you note. Never forget your princess etiquette.

They loaded up Appa and headed for the Northern Water Tribe. As they got closer, the air got colder. Azula started heatbending and Aang enjoyed the warm feeling on his back. 

When they arrived, Azula promptly put on her coat. They needed to find the chief.


	27. A Mother's Love II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Chief and his wife have to decide whether or not to approve Azula's plan to make Tui the moon spirit again.

He and his wife were in their home. Their days were quiet now that the war was over and Yue had become the moon spirit.  
 His wife answered the door. “Aang and ….” She didn’t know the princess.

 “Princess Azula.”

The wife had heard the name in passing. “Please come in.” They came in and sat down.  “Can I offer you anything to drink?”  
   
“Water please,” the princess requested. 

 The nice woman came back with some. “What can we do for you?”

Her husband had heard voices and came out. “Aang, Princess. To what do we owe this pleasure?”

Aang wasn’t sure where to start. Azula took the reigns. “It’s a bit of a tale. Agni and Tui made a spirit child that they hid from the other spirits, the Sun Princess. She gets reincarted like the avatar, except she switches between water and fire. The current Sun Princess is me. After Tui died, she messed with some other spirits, so she could create an alternate timeline and save me. Now that the other spirits found out, they are threatening to vanquish her, and we came here to make her the moon spirit again, so she cannot be vanquished.”

“Wait, what do you mean by alternate timeline?” Arnook was confused.

 Aang explained how Koh and Ozai had gone back in time to try and win the war after they had lost the first time, in response Roku visited Azula to get her to defect from him, and the course of history changed. Instead of Ozai and Aang fighting alone like they had the first time, this time it was Azula+ Agni and Aang vs. Koh+Ozai. 

“So time travel is real?”

 “It is, but I sealed the book and the portal, so people can’t do it anymore.”

“If you make the Tui the moon spirit, what will happen to Yue?” her mother asked.

Azula explained her plan to switch the two spirits and give Yue her life back. 

“But her body is gone.”

“I’ll have to build her a new one,” Aang answered.

“Can we have a minute?” The chief and his wife went to talk. They would love to have their daughter back, but what if it didn’t work? They couldn’t lose the moon again.

As a mother, she couldn’t imagine not saving her daughter when she had the chance. “I have to try. She’s our daughter, and when she died, I felt like I failed her.”

Arnook nodded. “We’ll help you, but please be careful, and if you can’t do it, make sure nothing happens to the moon.”

Azula offered reassurance. “I was always sad that my birth mother and I never got along. I thought she despised me, and sometimes, I still do. But I was lucky to have two mothers who were ready to do anything they could to save me and they did. Now, I have a chance to pay them back. I won’t let it go wrong. I can’t.”

 Azula realized both moon spirits helped her get where she is now. Tui took the risk in the spirit world, but Yue helped her find Aang. She realized that Yue didn’t let her sleep during the last full moon, so that she and Aang would start to realize they were meant to be together. She was trying to tell Azula that she loved her and that others would to if she gave them a chance. The message was so foreign, Azula had trouble understanding it at the time. She just felt the warmth and was comforted.

They waited until the moon was out. The quartet made it over to the koi fish when a warrior came out.

“FIREBENDER!” Crud. Azula had been using her flame so they could see what they were doing.

  “Calm down,” the chief chastized. “I’m right here.”

 “Oh, sorry Chief.” They were all defensive after Zhao.

Aang made an ice chair for the princess and she sat down. “Try to relax. I know this is scary, but I won’t let anything happen to you.” Aang gave her a kiss. He could feel her heart pounding out of her chest. He took her hand and kissed it. “I love you.”

 He went into the spirit world, quickly making his way to Tui and said, “I need you to come with me and make sure no one sees us.” She knew of a shortcut out of the spirit world and they took it. 

 When Aang and Tui came back, she had to immediately anchor onto Azula, since that is where her spirit was in the physical world.

Azula was asleep. Aang needed her to preserve her energy as much as possible. He went into the avatar state and broke off a tiny piece of Azula’s spirit. He used that piece to put some of Tui’s spirit into the koi fish, preserving the moon spirit while he removed Yue. As he made a new body for Yue using the agni portion of Azula’s spirit piece, Tui jumped into the koi fish, retaking her place in the moon.

A white light flashed from the moon down to the ground and a gust of wind spun around. After a few minutes, the wind cleared and the light faded away gradually. When it was safe to open their eyes again, the chief and his wife discovered Yue standing in front of them, and except for her hair being brown instead of white, she looked just like she did the day she died.

 “Mom, Dad!” She ran to them. She was in a body, which felt like her old one, but it felt weird to have one again.

 “YUE! You’re home.”

Tears ran down her parents face. There is nothing worse than losing a child, and nothing greater than getting her back again.

Aang returned to his normal state and saw that his work was complete. He looked up. “Thank you,” Tui said from above.

 “I should be thanking you. I wouldn’t have Azula without you.” He woke up his sleeping princess, who felt a bit off balance. 

 She heard her mother trying to reach her. “Thank you Azula, and your spirit will regrow. The solution is passion.”

“I think I can find some.”

 “There’s a full moon soon,” Aang offered.

“And I expect you in my bed all night,” Azula told him as they kissed.


	28. Just Not Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara and Ty Lee just aren't into their suitors.

Haru tried to get Ty Lee’s attention, and she didn’t mind group activities or a little one on one time, but she was not interested in fooling around with him. She thought about what Azula had said to her. If she hooked up with him because he was attractive, and presumably that’s why he wanted her, why would it be anything to remember. He had no reason to consider her pleasure. She wanted more than just so-so. She wanted out of the park and for that she needed someone who she cared for that way, and of course that girl was taken.

Jet was pursuing Katara, but her feelings for him had run flat. She had forgiven him for his earlier transgressions, but he just didn’t give her that spark. Azula said when you know, you know, and she, so far was the only girl who was in a relationship where she was sure it would be forever. Katara didn’t see Jet as having any more potential than a fling and she had already been there and done that.

When she saw Haru and Ty Lee, she went and asked the acrobat for her help. They got to Katara’s room, where she said, “I needed a break from Jet, and I assume you wanted one from Haru.”

“Thank you. He’s very persistent, but he hasn’t done anything that would actually get me to like him that way.”

Katara mimicked Jet. “You’re so pretty. You’re so pretty. I want to be more than just a pretty face. I want someone who actually likes me for who I am. Someone who once they start thinking about me, they can’t stop. I want to think about someone like that too. Ugh!”

“I know. Haru’s the same way. The worst part is, I am interested in someone else, someone who’s taken.”

Katara felt for the girl. “Maybe it will work out anyway. We’re in a new timeline now. Who knows how this will turn out?” She was “supposed” to marry Aang, but if she was in love with him then, she isn’t now. She was supposed to marry a powerful bender, but who?

Toph came into the room. “What are you doing?”

“Hiding from the boys,” Katara admitted.

 “You don’t like Jet?” Toph asked, with a bit of a squeak in her voice.

 “Not enough to do anything with him.”

Ty Lee could read the earthbender’s aura. Her crush was on the waterbender. Interesting.

Mai had lunch brought to Zuko and she thought they could talk, but he was thinking more of a working lunch. He’d bounce ideas and she’d give her opinion, but she did not want to be his employee. She wanted to be his girlfriend. Wasn’t she?

After lunch, she left, wanting to blow off some steam. Ty Lee wasn’t in her room. Was she off with Haru? Ugh!

She heard girls talking and knocked on Katara’s door.  Katara opened it. “Oh good. It’s just you.”

“Who did you think it was?”

“We’re hiding from Haru and Jet.”

Mai chuckled. “They can’t get a clue.”  
 “They can’t get 10 clues. Everythime he tries to get me alone, I manage to make it a group activity. Duh!”

“Isn’t life a bitch? You both have guys who want to be your boyfriend and you’re not interested. I have a boyfriend who I swear isn’t interested in me anymore, and Azula, former Princess Sociopath has a 10,000 year old relationship with the avatar and is off somewhere in lala land.”

“I take it talking to Sparky did no good.”

“I can’t get a word in with him if it isn’t work related. I just want someone who wants me.”

“Maybe it’s time to breakup,” Katara suggested. “There are plenty of fish in the sea, and come Saturday, there will be easy pickings.”

“Damn that was cold. Not that you’re wrong, but cold.”

Katara shrugged. “I just don’t see why she should stay in a relationship where she doesn’t feel appreciated.” It sounded sucky.


	29. Where Did She Go

The spirits debated what they should do to Tui. Some spirits were worried about angering Agni and La. Some others wanted to make an example of Tui as to what not to do. Others were in the middle, thinking about a temporary banishment.

Finally, the Knowledge Spirit said, “shouldn’t we ask Tui for her side of the story.” He was fond of the former moon spirit and although he was not a fan of spirits breaking all the rules, she caused a lot of interesting events to happen which generated a lot of knowledge for his library.  

When the forest spirit went to find her, he realized she wasn’t in her “house,” “Where’s Tui?” They searched the spirit world and couldn’t find her anywhere. If she left the spirit world, she would be stuck in limbo. Did she run there to avoid being vanquished?  

They tried Pluto and he said she wasn’t in limbo. “Where’s the avatar?”

* * *

 

Aang was on his way back to the palace with Azula and Yue.

“If we keep up the pace, we should be back in time for the start of the banquet.”

“What’s it like being on Earth again?” Azula asked her.

“Everything feels new. Walking. Having face to face conversations. I learned so much by being able to watch the world for six years (she remembers the original timeline), and I realized how amazing the world is. I’m excited to be back, and I can’t thank you enough.”

“Consider us even,” Azula said. “You saved me too.”

“How long do you think we have before the Spirit World notices what we did?” Aang asked his lady.

 “I’d be surprised if they didn’t notice already.”

Agni was happy again. Did none of the other spirits notice?

Yue couldn’t believe it when she felt Aang take her spirit out of the moon. She had no prior warning, but it was a stealth mission, so they moved very quickly. She was just glad to be back.

* * *

 

 Mai had to talk to Zuko. She couldn’t do this anymore. Something had to change. She knocked on his door.   

“Come in.”  

“Zuko, we need to talk.”

 “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not happy with our relationship.” His head snapped up like cold water just hit him in the face.  “I feel like you don’t have time for me anymore.”  

“We had lunch yesterday.”

“Where you picked my brains for ideas. It’s like I’m more of a political advisor than a girlfriend.”

“I know I’ve been busy, but I have a lot on my plate right now.”

 “I know that, and I don’t expect to be the main course at the moment, but I feel like I’m not even a garnish right now.”

“I don’t know what to say. You mean a lot to me Mai.”  

“It’s nice to hear, but I don’t feel that way anymore. I need more from you Zuko, and I don’t know if you have anything more to give.”  

He froze. He wanted to say that he just needed to get over the hump. That they would be back on track. That he would make it better, but he didn’t know how or when or what it would look like.

She needed reassurance and he didn’t know how to give it to her.

She got up and left him to think about it, but she knew it was over. If she were the one, he would have some fight in him. He just looked drained. Mai just needed to get some distance. She left a note for Ty Lee. “Went home until Saturday. I needed a break from the palace.” Mai wanted to see her brother anyway.


	30. Go For It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ty Lee and Toph decide to both pursue their crushes.

Ty Lee saw Mai’s note and was sad. She probably broke up with Zuko and is upset. Ty Lee wanted her friend to be happy, even if it was with someone else, instead she was just scared and alone. 

 The acrobat thought about visiting her friend, but she didn’t want to crowd her. Of course, Azula was gone, so she couldn’t ask her for advice.

The acrobat decided to do some yoga and clear her head. She just wanted to grab her friend and kiss her, tell her how great she was and if Zuko couldn’t see it, he’s just a butt head. She was afraid, however, of coming on too strong and taking advantage of Mai’s vulnerability. She had to be a friend, but how could she get close to her as a friend and resist her feelings for more?

 Toph was unsure of what to do. She knew that Katara didn’t like Jet, which was a start, but it didn’t mean that Katara would like her, or that she liked girls at all.

She went outside to clear her head, lying on the ground, where she could feel everything and she noticed Ty Lee moving around all funny. “What are you doing?”  
   
“Yoga, it’s good for the body and the soul,”

“I’ve never worked out my soul before.”

“Try it.”

  “I can’t see what you’re doing, exactly.” Toph could tell she was moving around, but her limb placement was hard to determine.

 “I’ll tell you what to do.”

 The two girls did their poses. Toph was stiff from her earthbending. She found some of the moves too difficult. 

 “How do you move like that?”

“I just have always been flexible and quick. It’s how I got into acrobatics.”

“My back feels weird.”

“Maybe a chi massage will help.” Ty Lee started rubbing the earthbender’s back, finding her chakras and helping her chi to flow. 

“I feel a block here.” That was the pleasure chakra. She had repressed feelings.

 “Oh, what is that keep going?”

“I think you have too much tension.”

“But my life is great. The war is over. Loser Lord is in jail.”

 “But you want something more, or someone.”

 “I told you, there is no guy.”

 “I know. There’s a girl.”

How did she know that. Toph didn’t answer.

 “It’s okay. I like a girl too, but she was with someone else and now she’s not, but she’s heart broken and I don’t want to come on too soon.”

She can’t mean Katara or Azula. “Mai?”

“Yeah.”

 “She and Sparky broke up?”

 “I think so. She wrote me a note and left the palace to go home.”

“Oh! then I say go for it. She wasn’t happy for a while anyway.”

“But what if I just freak her out.”

“Don’t ask for her hand. Just t tell her how special she is and stuff.”

 “You say go for it.”

 “Yep.”

 “I will, if you do too!”

Toph turned red. “I don’t know how to date.”

“I can help.”   Toph reluctantly agreed and the two girls got made up, hair done, put on new clothes and went to find their crushes.

The acrobat went to Mai’s house where Mai’s father answered the door. “Hi Ty Lee. It’s good to see you.”

 After exchanging pleasantries, Ty Lee went to see Mai. 

She knocked on the door.   

Mai assumed it was Tom Tom and said, “come in.”

 “How are you feeling?”

“Like crud, but It was nice of you to come.”

Ty Lee hugged her friend. “I couldn’t just sit around when I knew you needed someone. I wasn’t sure if you’d want me to come, but I’m here for you no matter what.”

“And I’m really lucky that you are. All I wanted was something from Zuko. I’m sorry I wasn’t around. I’ll try to do better. The next month will be bad, but then it will get better. Nothing. He was just ready to let me walk out. I was hoping he’d come after me but he didn’t do anything. Am I not worth it?”

“You are so worth it Mai. I just want to slap him for making you doubt yourself. You deserve a guy who would move mountains for you.” After all of the time they have been together and how loyal she was when he was banished, he just starved their relationship of air until it smothered.

“I just want to feel special. It sounds selfish and stupid but ….”

  “It isn’t selfish or stupid. You want someone to feel passionate about you, someone who you can feel passionate about. You want that spark, and he couldn’t deliver it.”

“I don’t make friends easily, and I don’t attract a lot of guys. What if I can’t find that with anyone?”

“You can. I know you can and I know you have inspired that spark in someone.”

 “Well if you know him, can you send him here?”

Ty Lee turned and kissed her, catching the assassin by surprise as her soft lips pressed against Mai’s. She couldn’t hold back anymore. She needed her friend to know that she was worth it all, that there was someone who would move mountains for her. Her strong arms pulled Mai closer, their chests pressed together as the aura reader managed to put her entire soul into the kiss. 

 Mai’s heart started pounding. She felt almost dizzy and drunk and it was good in a delirious kind of way. She found herself kissing her best friend back, and once she had, Ty Lee straddled her, biting her lower lip trying to get access to her mouth. 

 Mai granted it, their lips opening as they breathed together until they ran out of air. They broke apart and Ty Lee said, “I feel that spark with you. I can’t get you out of my head and all I want is for you to be happy, for me to make you happy and I will move any mou….” 

Mai cut her off with a kiss. She just wanted to feel love and now she did.


	31. Go For It II

Toph found Katara and asked her if she wanted to go through a walk in the gardens.  That sounded pleasant, and so not Toph. Also, she looked really cute today. “I like your hairstyle.”

“Thanks. I would compliment yours too, but I’ve never seen it.”

 Katara chuckled. “I can’t say my hair is fancy looking, but it’s nice and soft.”  

Toph ran her fingers through it. “It is nice. I bet it’s shiny.”

“Not as shiny as Azula’s. I swear, her hair could make you go blind if it catches the light.”

“I bet she uses fancy princess shampoo. We should steal it from her bathroom.”  

“Haha.”  

They went on their walk. Toph made various shapes in the ground using her earthbending. She gave the grounds a nice texture.

Katara picked a rose for Toph to feel. “These are my favorite flowers. It’s a rose. They smell sweet and are used in teas.”

Toph put it to her nose. She tried biting into it. “It doesn’t taste good.”

“It’s usually dried and then added to the tea.”

 “Whoops.”

There weren’t too many flowers that were native to the Fire Nation, but the palace had flowers from all over the world.  

“This is a sunflower.” Katara bent one over for Toph to feel. “They can grow to be very tall.”

They had a nutty smell.

Finally, they got to the plum blossom, which had both the nice fruits and the flowers.

“Thanks for being my eyes,” Toph said to her.  

“Anytime. It was nice just us,” Katara told her. When the others were around, especially the boys, Toph always had to get tough and so hard to reach. With just them, it was like she was at ease. It was nice.

Toph ran her fingers through Katara’s hair again. This time, she put a plum blossom flower in it. Their eyes met, not that Toph could see Katara’s, but she could smell the sweet flower and everything seemed just right. She carefully pressed her lips towards the waterbender.  Katara was stunned and she didn’t move for a minute, but then she kissed her back. There was something about this kiss that she lacked with Jet and Aang. Toph’s lips were softer, which was surprising if you knew her. She seemed to be trying to figure Katara out, where as her other kissers had just kissed her. The kiss was sweet and easy, not rushed at all. Their mouths didn’t open, but that would come later.

When they broke the kiss, Katara said, “we should do this again.”

 “The walk or the kiss.”  

“Both.”  

Toph smiled and then kissed her again.


	32. Just Not Right II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko and Sokka have a broment. Haru and Jet get rejected.

Sokka and Zuko were drinking some Fire whiskey at the end of a long day. They had been at the prisons, making sure everything was in order and all of the political prisoners were free to go home.

“I really screwed it up with Mai.”

“What happened?” Sokka just noticed she was gone.  “I just was so busy. I was trying to make sure we were ready for Sozin’s Comet and then I took the crown and she was important to me, she still is, but she didn’t feel that way anymore. She confronted me, and I couldn’t do anything. I don’t know how to be what she needs me to be.”

“I think that’s your problem,” Sokka said to him. “If what she needs isn’t what you are, it won’t work. If she were the one and she walked out, you would have run after her. You wouldn’t be here, drinking with me.”

 Zuko sighed. “I think you’re right. I just feel like a jerk. I was banished for three years and she waited the whole time. I thought everything would work when I came home, but nothing happened like I thought it would, and I feel like I wasted her time.”

“You didn’t. You couldn’t promise it would work and neither could she. You both tried and it didn’t work, but that doesn’t mean the time you had together wasn’t worth it.”  
   
“How did you get so wise?”  
   
“I think it happened after I lost Yue. She had to become the moon spirit, and I was depressed when I lost her, but I’m glad that I got any time with her at all. I always will be.”

***

Friday

Haru and Jet both tried to woo “their girls” before the banquet. They suggested all going out to dinner, but when they got there, somehow the reservations had two tables of two instead of one of four.

 Ty Lee had to hold back to avoid rolling her eyes. This was their attempt to get a date. She smiled and sat down anyway.

Haru ordered the raw oyster platter and suggested they share it. “They say raw oysters are an aphrodisiac.”

 Ty Lee started laughing. “You’re so silly.”

 He actually hated raw oysters. “They’re slimy and gross,” he complained.

After their dinner, which was nice albeit overpriced, Haru asked if she wanted to go for a walk. She knew she had to cut him loose, so now seemed like the time.  
   
“I had a really great time with you,” he told her.

 “Haru, I think you’re nice and a lot of fun, but this isn’t going to work. I’m not looking for a relationship with you.”

“It’s not my breath is it?”

 She chuckled. “No, it isn’t. It’s just I don’t feel that spark with you. It’s not personal, well it is. It’s just not anything you did. When it’s right, you know, and I’m not getting that feeling.”

 “Well, you’re going to make some guy really happy. Let’s get out of here.”

Katara had a fine dinner. She stayed with the few items on the menu she recognized and it was good. Afterwards, Jet started going on about the full moon and how romantic it was, and he tried to kiss her, but Katara was not up for that, so she put a tiny ice wall between them. His lips got cold when he felt Ice.

“Jet, I just don’t like you that way.”

 “Now that was cold, literally.”

 “You’re a nice guy, and you’re fun to hang out with, but I just don’t feel it.”

 “I’m not Mr. Right. I get it.”

 “Thank you.”

 “Can I be Mr. Right now?”

Ugh! She slapped him with an ice hand.

 “I guess not.”

 Haru and Ty Lee came up.

 “What happened to your face?” Ty Lee asked him.

 Haru snickered. “Well at least I didn’t get slapped.”


	33. Ready for Tonight

Yue needed a dress for the banquet tonight, so Azula suggested a quick shopping trip before they return to the palace.

 They found a dark blue evening gown that flowed out from the waist and went to her knee. It was strapless and she looked perfect in it. 

 “All you need is some jewelry,” Azula said as she helped Yue get matching shoes.

  “I don’t have any.”

 “We’ll find something at the palace for you to borrow.”

Azula had plenty of dresses in her closet. What she needed was the perfect outfit for afterwards. She found a black corset with a built in garter belt and then got some thigh high stockings. She sent Aang to get some formalwear, so he wouldn’t see what she was purchasing.

 When she got to the register, the saleswoman winked at her. “We have some additional items that might be of use to you tonight.” The woman sold a “love package” which came in a black box for discretion. 

  Azula checked out and it was time to go. 

Aang went to tell Zuko that they had returned.

 “You guys cut it close. The banquet starts in less than an hour.”

Yue got ready in Azula’s room. The Prince and Aang were going to announce the former moon spirit’s presence at the event. The princess’s servants came and bathed them (one at a time), did their hair and got them dressed. Azula wore a red halter dress that went to just above the knee. She wore a gold necklace with a ruby in the middle and lent Yue her diamond earrings, just to remember her ears weren’t pierced since she had a new body. “A diamond necklace it is.”

Mai and Ty Lee got ready in her room at the palace.  The former assassin was a bit anxious about her first public outing “with Ty Lee” as well as it was at her ex’s banquet. She wanted to talk to him before she showed up with a girl on her arm, but wasn’t sure of what to say. The banquet started in less than twenty minutes, so if she was going to say something, it would have to be now.

  “I’ll be right back Ty.”

 Mai made it down the hall to Zuko’s suite. She knocked on the door.  “Come in.”

 She stepped inside. Mai was wearing a black dress with her hair down and over her left shoulder.

 “You look very nice,” he said. He was wearing his formal robes, black red and gold. He looked very distinguished.

“Thank you. I wanted to talk to you before the banquet started. We kind of left things open ended, but we’re done.”

“I know,” he admitted. “I knew it when I couldn’t say anything, when you left and I didn’t chase you. You deserve someone who would chase you to the North Pole if that’s what it took.”

She nodded in agreement. “I know this is sudden, but I have a date to the banquet.”  Zuko frowned. “Do I know him?”

 “You know her. It’s Ty Lee.”

Zuko pursed his lips. “Like a date date?”

“Yes, a date date.”

 He chuckled. “That’s kind of hot.”

 “Cow Pig!”

 He shrugged. “That’s all I’m going to say. Haru and Jet on the other hand ….”

 “I knew I should have put knives in my hair.”

“You didn’t. Thigh knife?”

“Always.”

He kissed her on the cheek. “Don’t be a stranger Mai.”

 “I won’t.”


	34. The Banquet

The hall was decorated with the colors of all four nations. The room was packed with friends and families of team avatar, freedom fighters, friends they made along the way and of course, the Order of the White Lotus. Also in attendence were various nobles and the Fire Sages.

The Head Sage thanked everyone for coming and intoduced the various heroes, starting with the White Lotus, then the notable freedom fighters, e.g. Chief Hakoda, the Kyoshi Warriors, etc. After announcing everyone, he handed it off to the new Fire Lord.

 “Hello, Everyone and thank you for coming. Tonight, we celebrate the end of 100 years of heart ache and hard times. Unfortunately, those who were responsible for starting all of this this are dead and gone and the task of rebuilding the world falls on all of us. As descendants of the line of Sozin, my sister and I take our responsibility to help rebuild the war very seriously and to help as best we can restore peace and balance to the world. We will have a lot of work to do Monday, but today, we rejoice as one world. Something we haven’t been able to do for a long time. 

Now, I hand this off to Aang, our Avatar.”

 The crowd cheered loudly as the young monk took the stage. 

 “Hi everyone. Thanks for coming out tonight. I’m glad to say that the war is over, and I’m sorry that I missed most of it. I want to thank everyone who kept fighting in my absence and everyone who didn’t lose hope and give up.   We have a lot of rebuilding to do, and I am excited to help bring a new era to the world, and it is important that we all learn to work together, past our differences as we shape our futures. I would like to ask Princess Azula to join me as we have a special announcement to make.”

The Crown Princess stepped out, confidently walking on to the stage to join her boyfriend as they announced Yue’s return.

“This is a long story, but I know you all are hungry, so I’m going to try and make it quick. Tui and Agni, spirits of the moon and sun, created a spirit child, the Princess of the Sun who would carry both of their spirits within her and gets reincarneted, each time born to either the water tribes or the Fire Nation. 

I am the current incarnation, which is I was able to merge with Agni during Sozin’s comet. I realized if I could merge with Agni then I could have also merged with Tui, and if I had been there when Zhao killed Tui, she could have merged with me, and she would have been fine until we found her another body and Yue wouldn’t have had to sacrifice her life to save the moon.

Well, what could have been is not very useful, so we decided to figure out what we could do now.”

 Aang continued. “I was able to break off a piece of Azula’s spirit and use the Tui side to make Tui the moon spirit again. This left Yui’s spirit without a destination and with a piece of Agni’s spirit without a use. So I used the Agni side of Azula’s spirit to make Yue a new body and she’s alive again. Ladies and Gentlemen, we present Princess Yue.”


	35. Second Chances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that Sokka knows Yue is alive, will he get a second chance?

The 16 year old girl came out on stage to a shocked crowd, particularly those who had known her before she died. She got brought back to life? “Hello Everyone.”

 Sokka’s jaw dropped. There she was, standing in front of him with that voice, in that dress. How could it be? They just said how it could be, but he couldn’t believe it. He wanted to jump out of his chair and hug her right now, but this was a banquet, he couldn’t embarass her like that.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been alive. It was a few months for you, but a little over six years for me, so I’m still getting used to everything. I wanted to thank everyone who helped bring this war to a close and thank Aang and Azula for bringing me back and for saving Tui. She saved my life which is how I was able to become the moon spirit in the first place.

I’ve seen families come together. Soulmates who have found each other when they missed each other before and we have the best political strategist I’ve ever seen in this room ready to help make the world a better place. Today is a day to rejoice and celebrate a second chance for the world and I would like to say, thank you Tui for everything. Cheers.”

Yue got a standing ovation and food and drink started coming out. 

Before Yue could sit down, Sokka ran to her. “I can’t believe you’re back.” 

They quickly embraced. Was this Sokka’s second chance? What about Suki? Well crud.

 “I couldn’t believe it myself. I just left the moon and was on Earth again.”

She had a seat next to the Fire Lord which meant she was a few seats away from Sokka. 

“Aren’t you going to introduce me?” Suki said to her boyfriend.

“Oops. Yue, this is Suki, leader of the Kyoshi warriors and my girlfriend.”  
   
“Hi Suki. It’s nice to meet you.” She smiled. 

Suki did too, but even Aang could see how fake that smile was.

The rest of the table welcomed her home and then the questions began.

“So do you still have some of the moon spirit?” Katara asked Yue, confused by this whole thing.  

“I don’t think so. She saved me when I was a baby, which is how my hair turned white and I had some of her spirit, but now I have a new body that wasn’t sick before. I’m not sure if that means I’m linked to Agni though. I think it was just his energy that brought me back to life.”

“So what was the other timeline like?” Toph asked.

“It was very eventful. I don’t want people to feel their compelled to make the choices they made last time, so I don’t know how much I should offer.”

“Please?” Sokka asked. “I just want to know, and it’s not like I think before I act anyway, so it won’t affect what I do.”

“You finally admitted that,” Azula was flabbergasted.

Yue chuckled. “What do you want to know?”

“Who ended up with whom?”

“Well Aang had married Katara, and I don’t think anyone else at this table got married.”

Sokka probably wouldn’t have ended up with Suki anyway. Interesting.

“Forget the romance,” Toph said. “Who got into a fight?”

“Oh Tui who didn’t. There were all kinds of fights. Azula and Zuko got into a lot of them. Azula and Ty Lee got into it. Aang almost took out Zuko three different times.”

“Whoa!” said Aang, not expecting that.

 “Um, Zuko and Kuei went to war. Azula and Katara fought, well, a lot.”

“Over Aang?” Haru asked.

  “No, just pure resentment.”

“Zuko got in a fight with one of his mayors, tried to have him arrested and then the mayor’s family attacked him. I think 5 assassins came after him in the first year after the war.”

“So the world post war was a hot mess?” Mai summed up.  
 “  
Yes.”

“But Tui didn’t act to fix any of those things. She acted for Azula.” Suki clarified.

“She thought Azula could make a lot of these things better, but yes, Azula was her main concern.”

“So you think upending time and space for the sake of a spirit child is okay?” Aggressive, much.

“Yes.” Yue didn’t have Tui’s feelings anymore, but after six years, she still felt protective of the Sun Princess.

“And why is that?” Suki asked a bit snidely.

“I can’t say that Tui didn’t break a bunch of spirit rules and take a huge risk, but I spent six years with her feelings and I know why she did it. She’s a mother. She’s always going to love her daughter and be proud of her accomplishments, scared when she’s in trouble, and sad when she’s suffering, and Azula suffered a lot after the war ended the last time. 

What Tui did was huge, but she had an unwavering confidence that Azula could step up to huge responsibility and she has. She became everything her mother always knew she could be and so much more. I know if Tui had a chance to reconsider, she would do the exact same thing, even if she had gotten vanquished.

I know I wouldn’t be sitting here today if Tui hadn’t done what she did. She didn’t mean to, but she made it possible for me to have my life back, and I’m grateful for that. Sometimes the best things come from accidents, and it’s okay to celebrate them when they do.”


	36. Celebrate

“Speaking of celebrations,” Azula said. “Less bickering and more drinking.” She waved her hand, summoning a waiter. “We need more champagne, for everyone. Thank you.”   
The waiter was on his way.

  “So what did Azula and I miss while we were gone?”

Katara and Toph looked at each other and blushed. Mai and Ty Lee did the same.

Azula could read their faces and she explained it to the avatar. “Whoa! Cool!”

“At least he didn’t say hot,” Mai retorted.

 I was thinking it, thought Aang. Still am! 

They ate a lovely dinner of peking turtle duck, a roast, broiled fish, fried tofu, rice, steamed veggies with brown sauce, fresh green salad and of course chocolate spice cream and angel food cake.

Just for Aang, the kitchen made him fruit tarts. Azula stole a bite. 

The dance floor opened up and Aang was eager to dance with his Princess.

“How are you feeling?” he asked. She had her spirit excised only a few days before.

“A lot better. I think the full moon is helping.”

“Good.” He kissed her chastely. “I love you.”

“I love you Aang and I never thought I could be so happy.” She kissed him, sucking on his lower lip as she bit down.

He dipped her, continuing the kiss as he took control. “I want you,” he hissed in her ear.

“Tonight, you will have me.”

They held each other close as they danced around the room.

The Fire Lord asked Yue if she would like to dance. He promised himself he would try to have some fun. If he was too much of a stick, then he’d never find a woman.

Sokka was totally jealous, but Zuko was single, as was Yue. 

His father came up to him. “Sokka!”

 “Dad.” The two men hugged. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me too. Never thought I’d be at the Fire Nation Palace for a party.”

“A lot of things happened that I never thought possible,” Sokka said, his eyes on Yue.

“Well, your Gran Gran is here.”

“Really? Where?”

Sokka went to greet her and Katara was already hugging her. 

“Gran Gran, this is Toph Beifong. Toph, this is my Gran Gran.” 

 Katara guided the earthbender’s hand, so she could shake Kanna’s.

“Hi Toph. It’s nice to meet you. You’re an earthbender right.”

  “And the world’s first metalbender.”

“That’s awesome.”

 Ty Lee insisted on dancing with Mai, who was more than happy to be a wall-flower, but she relented.

“I don’t know how to dance.”

 “Follow my lead,” Ty Lee whispered in her ear, guiding the knife thower by gently holding onto her hips. The acrobat left soft kisses on Mai’s face and neck, causing the girl to moan happily.

Haru and Jet both saw Yue and were drawn to her. 

“She’s so hot!” Haru said.  
   
Jet said, “I saw her first.”

“You did not!”

As they bickered over the girl who wasn’t either of theirs, Suki was not in the best mood. She resented Tui’s interference in the world. Now, Azula had a great life that she didn’t deserve after all she had done and Yue was back. Suki could see Sokka’s interest in the pretty princess and she felt threatened by her return.

The rest of the group, however, seemed to be happy to be there and worry free.

 Iroh and Piando were sharing a laugh. Bumi was telling tall tales that were allegedly from his youth and Master Pakku was chatting with the sages.


	37. Who I Used to Be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azula learns about her past life

When Azula turned and saw Kanna, she immediately felt a bond for the woman, like she was an old friend. She wanted to ask Aang if he ever saw people from Roku’s past and recognized them, but she thought again. Aang was frozen for 100 years. He wouldn’t have met anyone from Roku’s past.  

“Do you ever have any thoughts or feelings that came from your past life?”  
   
Aang thought for a moment. “For the most part, I don’t remember what they knew, but I have some reactions. Like, I always cringe when I see Koh. What’s on your mind?”  
   
“Katara’s grandmother. She feels like an old friend, even though I’ve never seen her before.”

“Maybe she was a friend of your past life.”

 “Is that a weird thing to ask her? Hey did any of your friends die in 85AG?”

“I wouldn’t say it like that,” Aang said with a laugh. “But you should meet her. You might learn something new about your spirit.”

Aang led her over and introduced them.

 “Nice to meet you Princess Azula.”

 “Oh, you can just call me Azula.”

“Really?” Sokka questioned.

 “Not you,” she said to him teasingly.

“I was just telling Katara about one of my friends Kalypso from our tribe. She was quite the waterbender. I never knew how she did it, but she could pull water out of anything and make her water hot like boiling hot. She even could bend steam and make steam on the spot.”

 Azula paused. That sounded like it could have been her past life. She had fire she could move like water. Why wouldn’t her past life be able waterbend with properties of fire?

“Was she a fighter?” Azula asked her.

 “Not formally, but she could beat up anybody. She would do these ice kicks and punches and I saw her knock out a tooth or two, especially if someone from the Fire Nation got in her way. She would not hesitate to give them hell.”

“Not just them,” Hakoda said. “She got me in the eye once, good. She had it out for me.”

 “Oh she did not! She admired your potential. She just thought you needed to grow up more.”

“Like Sokka,” Azula said, not realizing she said it out loud.

  “Azula!” Aang chided.

 “You think I have potential,” Sokka laughed.

“I take that back!”

 “You can’t. It’s out there, forever. Sokka admired by Princess Azula.”

“Would you like that on your epitaph?” Azula retorted.

 “Kalypso used to always say that,” said Kanna.  

“Especially to me,” Hakoda growled.

“You ought to be more grateful for her.”

“I know. I wouldn’t have Katara without her.”

“What?” Katara asked her.

  Kanna looked at her. “We never told you what happened to her since we didn’t want you to be sad about it. You see when your mom was pregnant with you, the Fire Nation attacked our tribe. She had gotten separated from us and when the soldiers attacked, we couldn’t get to her. Kalypso started attacking them so your mom could get away. It was just her against 5 soldiers and she fatally wounded two of them, but the rest overtook her, and she died later that day. Your mother tried to patch her up and I’ll never forget what she said. "  I’m the best healer here. I think I know when it’s too late. If you want to thank me, name your daughter Katara. I always liked that name.”

Katara looked somber. Yet another woman died to save her.

 “Was this June 22?” Azula asked.  “Yes, it was. How did you know that?”

“I was born June 22, and my last life was a waterbender. I think she was my past life.”

 Kanna was quite stunned by this revelation.“Do you have any memories of your past?”

 “Not exactly. I can’t remember specific events, but I remember her feelings. When I saw you, I felt like we had been friends for a long time.”

“We were friends for over forty years,” Kanna choked out. 

“Could you tell me what she was like?”

Kanna nodded. “She loved waterbending. She always said it was her true love.” Azula used to say that about her fire. “She could do the most beautiful performances or the most calculated attacks. She was so good she wrote a book about it. I wanted to give it to Katara when I realized she was a bender, but I couldn’t find it. Either someone took it or she hid it somewhere, but we searched all over the tribe for it.”

 “Was it brown, leather and with a sapphire sewn in it?”

Kanna’s eyes got huge. “Yes, do you remember it?”

 “I have it. I’ll be right back.”

 Azula went to her room and retrieved a book she had hidden in her floorboards and wrapped in a sheet to keep it safe. It had been given to her when she was a small child, and she was told not to let anything happen to it, so she hid it. 

She came back and Kanna couldn’t believe she had it all this time.

“How did you get it?”

“I’m not sure exactly. I was in a room with a bunch of books and someone told me to take the one I wanted and I wanted this one, so I took it. Then I was told to hide it until I needed it, so I did.”

She handed Kanna the book. “I thought I’d never see this again.” A tear fell from the old woman’s eye. “Katara, you should take a look. Maybe there’s something for you to learn.”

Katara picked it up. “This is quite a book.” She flipped it open and it even had chapters. This was no ordinary scroll with basic katas or healing tips. The first words were: this is a book of what I invented for use by waterbenders. If you’re Fire Nation and the war’s still going on, fuck off!

Katara snickered. “You’re former life had your attitude.”

1) Extracting Water 2) Making Hot Water 3) Steambending 3b) Making Steam 4) Detoxing and Advanced Healing Techniques 5) Ice Punches and Kicks 6) Recalling Your Water 6b) Ice Boomerangs 7) Advanced Ice Weapons 8) Sabatoging Fire Nation Vessels 9) Sex for Her 9b) Sex for Him 10) Showing off 10b) Making Moving Sculptures 10c) Ice Ball Rafting

“What is Ice Ball Rafting?” Katara asked. She turned to the page. You make a hollow ice ball around yourself and use your waterbending to go rafting in the water. “This looks like a lot of fun, but very hard.” She would have to waterbend through the ice and not disrupt the shell.

 “She’s the only one who could do it,” Kanna said. “She would take the kids and their parents would complain to Hakoda that it was dangerous to go ice rafting with a crazy old woman. Hakoda said that to her and she ice slapped him so hard he fell down.”

“I still remember that slap,” Hakoda growled, looking at Azula who smirked. 

It was cool for the Princess to learn that her past life was a badass. It also gave Azula inspiration to take the time to write down the moves she’s created, see what else she can come up with and write her own firebending book. Together, both books could be a basis for a Sun Princess guide.

Yue came up when she saw them gathered around a book. “What is it?”

“My friend Kalypso was Azula’s past life,” Kanna said proudly. “This is her waterbending book. She was a prodigy too.”

“Wow, how did you find it?”

 Azula shrugged. “I’m still not sure who gave it to me.” Maybe he knew who she was. Was this a clue that she couldn’t figure out before.

Aang had an idea. “Maybe it was a test, to see if you were the Sun Princess. That’s how they determined I was the avatar. They left a bunch of objects out and only a few of them belonged to past avatars. I felt an attachment to the right objects, so they knew it was me.”

“That makes sense, but I don’t see what was the point of the test if no one explained to me the results?”

 “We weren’t sure when the right time was,” the Head Sage said to the crown princess. He had come forward when he saw her with the book. “When you were little, all of your firebending moves were like a waterbender’s. Ozai thought you were just confused, but I had a feeling it was something else. We left you with items we found from your past lives mixed in with a bunch of other stuff and you took all of the correct items, the book, the hair comb, a little mirror, but we were afraid of what Ozai would do if he knew, so we never said anything.”

Azula remembered all of those items and she never got rid of them, even if she didn’t use them. “Do you have any other books or journals or anything from them?”

 “We have a box. I can have it sent to your room.”

 “That would be great.”

“This is a party,” Ty Lee said as she came up to them. “Why are you all doing homework?”

Azula snickered. “Books can be fun too.”

 “Yeah, in your world. I’ll stay with the dancing and champagne. Speaking of which ….” She was gone again.


	38. What Can We Do

Aang suggested trying new moves outside since it was a full moon. He, Katara, Azula and Toph went outside taking the book with them.

Katara got to work on extracting water from grass. According to the book, if you concentrate enough, you can get water out of almost anywhere, the ground, a rock. 

Toph was making castles in the ground. She had no special moon connection, but it was a nice day outside and she liked it when Katara played. She was so much more relaxed. 

Aang wanted to learn to ice raft, but he’d need more water for that. “Want to try steam bending?”

 He threw a water whip at Azula and she returned it with a fire punch, making a bed of steam. Aang started to manipulate it, using it to surround the Princess. “This feels like a sauna. I like it.”

Azula tried to think of what new moves she could do. If Kalypso could make her water hot and other waterbenders cannot, could Azula make her fire colder than other firebenders can?

 She made a flame and concentrated on drawing heat away from it. The flame got redder as the temperature went down and soon it was black.

 “Whoa, what is that?” Aang asked. It looked gorgeous in the moonlight.

 “I tried to make a cold flame, and this is what I got.”

Aang put his hand near it. “It is cold, but it can still burn.” 

The Sun Princess and the avatar started to play, spinning cold flames and steam as they moved into a pattern, dancing around each other.

Sokka and Yue were watching from the window. “It’s nice to see Katara so excited. She loves waterbending and that book looked like it had a lot of cool new moves for her to try.”

 “I know. I get similarly excited when I see Azula firebending. She’s not my charge anymore, but I looked over her for six years. It was quite a ride.” 

Sokka laughed. “I’m so glad she was able to bring you back. I missed you a lot.”  “I missed you too, and I looked over you the best I could.”

 “I know. I felt like something had changed a few days ago, but I couldn’t figure it out. When I saw you on stage, I couldn’t believe that was it. It was like I knew your spirit was back without actually knowing it. That sounded silly.”

 “I know what you mean.”

“Can I have this dance?”

 “Of course.”

It felt amazing holding Yue in his arms again. He didn’t know if she felt it too, but he could do this forever. Was this their chance? Could they go the distance?

Kanna and Pakku were having a chat about their family. “I wish you had met Kalypso. She was quite the water bender.”

 “She sounds like she would have beat me up,” he laughed.

  “You would have learned from it,” Kanna countered. “I am glad that her spirit lives on, and that Azula is friends with Katara now. I think they can learn a lot from each other.”

“I do too.” Kanna only had the best memories of Kalypso in her heart. If Azula carried her spirit, then she and Katara would make great friends. 

Pakku saw them outside, playing in the water and celebrating together. “To think, we have an airbender, a firebending princess, an earthbender and a waterbender all playing outside together. I wondered if I’d ever see the day.” To think all of the things their generation can do, the things we couldn’t.

Zuko came over to Sokka. “Have you seen my sister or Aang? Everyone keeps asking me about them.” They all wanted to hear more from the people who saved the world and the moon.

 “They’re playing outside.”

 Zuko went out there and he couldn’t tell what his sister was doing. “Is that a black flame?”

 “I invented it today,” Azula said.

Zuko replied, “everyone’s asking about you two. Apparently, you’re the popular ones.”

The couple came inside. Time to schmooze. They got various questions about the final battle, how scary was it, what was fighting a spirit like, and questions about saving the moon spirit. 

 “So can you bring any spirit to life?”

Aang shook his head. “It was the perfect storm. Yue had a connection to Tui. Azula had one to Tui and Agni, so I was able to make the switch. Without the right balance between people, I wouldn’t have had the energy I needed to create a new body.”

After a bit, Azula wanted to go back outside. She actually wanted to take Aang to bed, but she didn’t want to get crap for leaving the party too early. “Why don’t we show them something we learned from Kalypso’s book?”

“Performance?” 

 Aang and Azula went outside. Katara and Toph were mudbending, making sludgy creatures that would walk around the grounds.   “I am sifu mudman,” Toph bellowed.  
 “Haha!”

Katara looked up and a crowd was forming near the windows and on the patio. 

 Aang started waterbending, making whips that he used to spin and dance with on his airball. Then he made ice balls and juggled them. While Aang was manipulating the water around him, Azula started off by making two flames. She spun and danced with them like she had the month before, making weaving patterns, wraps, but this time, she went behind the back. Doing this in a fancy dress was no joke. 

 Aang and Azula played a cat and mouse game around each other, moving forward and backwards and bending around each other. 

 They made a dance of fire and water and in the moonlight it was the most stunning.

Kanna and Pakku were watching together. “Kalypso would spin her water like that. I think they have the same dance.”

Azula and Aang formed a new move together. His water hit her fire and made steam which he bent all around. Then he thrust the steam into the air as she threw little sparks into it, making a sparkly, crackling sound as the charges shocked the water. 

The crowd cheered as Aang pulled Azula in for a kiss. Their passion ignited. The full moon caused a stir in both of them and their performance was just foreplay in disguise. Azula tapped on his head to break the kiss before she started moaning for him.

 They bowed and the party was outside for now. Katara returned Azula’s book.  “You can borrow it anytime,” Azula said as she went to return it to her room.  

“I’ll do it,” Aang said as he took the book. He wanted to read the sex chapers and learn how to please his Princess with waterbending.


	39. Showdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka decides to leave Suki, so he can be with Yue. Suki is not happy.

Sokka and Yue were so into their dancing. They missed everyone leaving. 

“Where did everyone go?” Yue asked.  

“I don’t know.”  
 Ty Lee went up to them. “There was a performance outside. You two lovebirds missed it.”

Yui blushed and Sokka couldn’t even come up with a defense. 

“I’m happy for you, just let Suki down easy.”

Ty Lee went off to find Mai. She wanted to take her new girlfriend to bed.

Suki had been with the other warriors, catching up with them. “I’m so glad to have you all back.”

 “We missed you Suki, but it wasn’t so bad for us. We weren’t in Boiling Rock.”

“We also had each other. It’s time for us to be one group again.”

Suki had been outside for the performance, and it was only then that she realized she hadn’t seen Sokka in a while. When she made it inside, she saw him with Yue. The dark haired girl was laughing as Sokka whispered something into her ear.

“That little slut,” Suki hissed.

Smiles were on the lovebirds faces as they felt like they had picked up right where they left off except no more war and no more Hahn.  
 Suki was about to go confront them when Zuko came up to Sokka and asked if he could borrow him for a moment. 

Suki decided to wait until he came back and went to go get a drink.

“What did you need me for?” Sokka asked.

  “I was just making sure Suki didn’t kill you. She was headed your way.”

Sokka sighed. “I don’t know how this happened. I mean I do. I never stopped loving Yue, but I thought it was time to move on since she was dead, and now she’s not dead, but I’m with Suki and ….”

“It’s simple. If Yue ran out the door right now would you chase her.”

 “To the stars and back.”

 “If Suki ran out, would you chase her?”

Sokka shook his head.

 “Then you know what to do. You just have to say the words.”

 “I’d rather not say them out there.”

Zuko agreed. “I don’t want a fight in my banquet. Go to the tea room and I’ll get Suki.” By get Suki, Zuko meant he’d send a servant. He didn’t want to deliver her to her own breakup.

Suki went to the tea room where Sokka was waiting. “I’ve hardly seen you tonight,” she hissed.

 “I’m sorry about that Suki. I’m sorry about everything.”  
   
“What did you do?”

 “I didn’t do anything, but we need to break up.”

 “You’re leaving me for that ZOMBIESLUT!”

Sokka quickly got angry. “She is not a slut, nor is she a zombie. I can’t believe you’re acting like this.”

 “YOU CAN’T BELIEVE ME! After all that we’ve been through together. After all that I went through while I wasted away in jail, hoping, praying that you would come find me. The war is over, and now you want to be with someone else.” Suki’s voice was cracking, her resolve breaking. Thinking of him had kept her sane during her captivity and just like Azula said he would, he left her.  

Sokka realized how heartbroken she was. “Suki, I’m sorry.”

 She turned and ran out before he could see her cry.

Sokka didn’t go after her. 

He sat down for a minute, trying to get his head on straight. Then, he went out to the banquet, where Yue was laughing along with Azula and Zuko. She was telling them a story about some fo the strangest things she saw as a moon spirit.

 “I do think that house is haunted,” Yue said as she finished the tale.  
   
Sokka came up to her. 

 “Hey, you’re back.”

 “Yeah, can we talk?”

The duo went off together. Azula panned the room; Suki was gone. Azula asked her brother, “should someone go check on Suki?”

He shrugged. “Yes, but probably not you or me.”

 Azula flagged one of the warriors and asked if they could check on their leader.

 Rai went and when she got to Suki’s room, she heard the girl sobbing. 

Sokka and Yue went to one of the lounges. “I just broke up with Suki,” Sokka told her.

Yue nodded. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m sad, but mostly because she’s so upset. I really liked her, but I knew that it wasn’t right. It wouldn’t be fair of me to string her along, and I couldn’t let you slip away again.”

Before Yue could respond, Sokka’s lips hit hers, the first time they kissed since the seige. It was a new, yet familiar feeling for the Princess as she had new lips this time around. Sokka felt like his heart was about to give out and this was the way he wanted to go.

***  
 “Suki, it’s Rai. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

 Suki threw open the door. “Make sure I’m OKAY! Well, I’m NOT OKAY! I loved Sokka. Yes he was a bit of a buffoon, and he underestimated how well women can fight, but he’s sweet and caring and protective and I thought he was the one. He had been the one until a spirit decided to mess up time and redo everything. Now, he’s gone off to be with a formerly dead moon spirit and look at ME! I feel like I’m empty.”

“You can get through this Suki. I know you can.”

“YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING!”

“I am not the enemy, Suk.”

 “NO YOU ARE NOT!”

Suki went from sad to furious,  
and she went to go confront the girl who was responsible for all of this.

Azula was wondering what happened to Aang. She decided to go check on him and went towards her bedroom. On her way, she ran into an angry Kyoshi warrior leader.

“Suki, what are you doing?”

 “THIS DOESN’T CONCERN YOU!” 

 Azula was concerned with the girl’s demeanor and stepped in front of her. “I’m not letting you make a scene at our banquet or attack Yue!”

“You would defend her wouldn’t you, her being your spirit mother. She probably bewitched Aang for you didn’t she?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. She doesn’t put spells on people.”

 Azula stepped back, trying to keep some distance between her and the angry girl. 

“Get out of my way!”

“I can’t do that. I know you’re hurting right now, but taking it out on her won’t make it better. This isn’t her fault.”

Suki appeared to calm down. “You’re right, it’s NOT!” Suki took a step back. “It’s YOURS!”

 ***

Aang had gotten caught up reading Kalypso’s book. She had all kinds of great moves. He started with the chapter on sex, but he got caught up in the chapter on fun moves to show off. He realized the time and went to go find Azula when he heard Suki yelling.   Aang ran down the hall to see Suki trying to hit Azula. The firebender, refused to hit back, trying to defuse the situation. Suki had her cornered, before she felt a hand grab her. “What are you doing?”

“THIS BITCH RUINED MY LIFE!”

“You need to calm down. You’re life is not ruined at all. What’s wrong?”

“Sokka dumped me for Yue and it’s all her fault. She had to bring Yue back to life. She had to bring Yue here. Couldn’t you have just left her at her home?”

 Azula didn’t answer. She hadn’t throught about what Sokka would do. It just seemed right to bring Yue to the party, and if they were meant to be, then it was right.

Rai heard the commotion and came to get her.  “Suki isn’t doing well,” Azula said. “Can you take her to bed? We can get her a sedative so she can sleep.”

“You are not SEDATING ME!” 

 The guards heard the kurfuffle and came to take Suki to her room to sleep. She got a sedative poured down her mouth by the royal doctor and then she fell asleep.  


	40. Love Me Tonight

“Sorry it took me so long to get to you,” Aang said as he embraced his girlfriend.  “Where did you go?”

 “Kalypso’s book kind of distracted me.”

  “Well, why don’t you make your final rounds around the party and then come to bed?”

  “So early, but I’m not tired.”

 “I’m not either,” Azula told him.

 He smirked when he got the hint and went to make his final rounds.  Azula took the time to get ready. She changed out of her dress into the corset and thigh highs she had purchased and she took off her jewelry, so it wouldn’t get in the way. She opened her “love box” and she took out the honeydust, generally coating her chest with it and there were also rose petals which she sprinkled onto the bed. Azula lit her candles, giving the room a blue glow. She decided that wasn’t the color scheme she wanted and she changed the flames to red.

 She laid down on her bed, waiting for her love to return.

* * *

“Can we just stick with kissing tonight?” Mai asked her new girlfriend as they embraced on their way to the bedroom.

 “Of course, Mai.” Ty Lee didn’t want to rush her. This was new and perfect and Mai just got out of a relationship.

 Their lips touched softly as the aura reader opened the door. She spun them around, pulling Mai on her lap as they fell on the bed. They stayed huddled together as their lips mashed and mangled.  Mai could never just get used to Ty Lee’s kisses. Each one felt just as unbelieviable as the first one. She didn’t think she was capable of feeling so much. Ty Lee broke from her mouth and began kissing Mai’s face and jaw line, eliciting small moans from Mai’s lips.

  Ty Lee then went to kiss her down her neck and across her collar bone, stopping at the hallow of her throat. Her lips continued to explore down her girlfrend’s arms,   Mai had never been kissed in so many places. As she enjoyed the new sensations, Ty Lee undid the ties that held Mai’s dress together, quickly leaving the girl in just her undergarments, giving the acrobat plenty of new places on Mai’s body to kiss and touch.

A throbbing feeling started to overtake Mai as Ty Lee kissed her down her abs and all over her inner thighs.  “I thought we were just kissing,” Mai protested.  
 “We are. You never said where,” Ty Lee grinned as she teased her lover, kissing her around her chest bindings before taking them off. She kissed each nipple, instantly hardening them as Mai arched her back. She left kisses all over her small, sensitive chest, just to go back to her neck.

“OH SPIRITS!” Mai was dripping wet. She just ached all over. She needed more. “Can we go back on our deal,” Mai said in a hoarse whisper.

 Ty Lee decided to draw this out, her nails scratching her girlfriend’s thigh. “Are you sure?”

Mai nodded frantically.

 Ty Lee pulled down the girl’s underwear. “So this is okay,” she gently grazed her mound.

 “OH FUCK!” 

“Not tonight.” Ty Lee kissed her on the lips quickly. “Tonight, we make love.”

* * *

Zuko found himself surrounded by the rest of the Kyoshi warriors. This was looking like a good night for him after all, but he wasn’t sure which one to choose. As one by one they turned to bed, he was hoping one would want to stay with him. To his surprise, there were two.

 “You’re cute,” one girl cooed at him.  “And we hear you’re single.”

Zuko didn’t know how to choose between the two. “I am.”

“Great. We’ll have fun,” one girl said.  “What about Jie?” he asked her.  “I meant her too. We both want you tonight.”

 Zuko’s face turned bright red.

 “That is if you can handle us,” Jie said to him.

 He nodded eagerly.

“How about we go to your room now?” the other girl said to him, “And when you’re ready for us, come to bed.”

Zuko had the guards escort the women to his chambers.

* * *

Sokka and Yue were on the pavilion in her guest room. He was kissing her neck as he sat behind her. “I love you,” he whispered into her ear as her hand rubbed his.

 She turned to him. “I love you, Sokka.” They kissed, Sokka’s hands gently grazing Yue’s skin everywhere it was exposed and his lips crashing agaisnt her, eager, desperately searching her mouth as her fingernails dragged along the back of his head as the moonlight shone over them.   “Thanks Tui,” they both said in their minds for making this moment possible. For Sokka, it had been months, but for Yue, she had been apart from him for over six years. She decided she didn’t want to be away from him a moment longer.

She pulled him back, causing him to fall on top of her as they kissed. His lips broke from hers. “Are you sure?”

  
 “Yes. I love you, and I don’t want to wait anymore.”

He picked her up, carrying her inside. He started to undress her, revealing her perfect flesh to him.  “No fair,” she pouted. “You’re clothed.”

  
 “Oh, sorry,” he laughed as he took off his robes. The war had made his muscles more pronounced. Every scar told a story.

He kissed her again, their nude bodies pressing agaisnt each other. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered to her as his hands made their way down her torso.

She suddenly realized something. “Do you have any protection?”

“I’ll go get it.” He put on his pants and went to his bedroom to get the condoms he had left. Was this weird, using condoms he bought to use with Suki and not using them with her. He shook his head. Don’t think like that.

  
 He didn’t even see Aang and crashed into him on the way back, dropping the condoms all over the floor.

  
 “Uh! I was just ….”

“Sokka, it’s fine.”

“But I don’t want you thinking ….” that Yue’s a slut.

“I don’t, and I think we both have somewhere to be right now.”

“Oh, right.” The two boys left, pretending the odd encounter never happened.

Sokka made it back to Yue’s room, joining her in bed and kissing her all over her body. She went to touch him and he stopped her.   “Let me love you tonight.”

* * *

Aang was wondering if he was supposed to bring the condoms. Hopefully, Azula thought about that. He went into her room and almost fainted at the sight.  He didn’t even know that people made such fantastic outfits or that Azula would be wearing one. The corset emphasized how perfect the Princess’s body was, showcasing her large chest, tiny waist and nice wide hips. The garter and stockings showed off her legs and something was sparkling on her chest, matching her eyes.

 After his shock wore off, he had a huge grin on his face. He locked her door and kissed her lovingly.

“You’re perfect,” he said as he took the time to truly admire her.

They had their first time under the full moon many times before and both of them knew exactly what to do. Azula pulled Aang to her mouth, fiercely kissing him as she fell on her back. He grabbed her legs, allowing him to move between them as their bodies slammed together, only thin fabric keeping them from touching.

It was hard to keep a continuous kiss since they were so needy. Gasps and grunts kepts breaking them apart only for them to kiss again.   “You smell amazing,” Aang said to her. “Like honey.”

“It’s honey dust,” she said to him looking at her chest.

He kissed it and it was so fucking sweet. He kissed her all over the top of her chest as he took off her corset, freeing her breasts for him. He started with his first trick, hot and cold. His lips stayed hot but he made his fingers cold by freezing the water in the air around them.   

“OOHHHH!” she gasped out loud as the cold sensation tore through her body. He was sucking on her neck while he was rubbing her breasts.

 “Do you like this?” he hissed in her ear.

 “Don’t stop!” she growled. He kissed her down her flat stomach and slowly took off each stocking. He went to take off her underwear when she stopped him.

 “I have to catch up.” She yanked off all of his clothes, leaving them both in their underwear.

He pulled off her panties and began kissing his way down to her wetness, her gold eyes watching his every move. Just before he was about to lick her, he rushed up to her head kissing her lips with his mouth, sucking the air out of her breath as his hands pulled her hips close to his.

Her nails dug into his shoulders as their tongues fought for dominance. He broke the kiss, kissing her down her skin once again before he started nipping on her inner thighs.   “OH FUCK AANG! PLEASE!”

He loved hearing her beg for him and he gave in. Now for his second trick. He made his tongue cold with his waterbending and licked her clitoris, sending a cold sensation down her bundle of nerves.

 “OOOOHHHHHHH!”

 He continued to lick her gently. It wasn’t long before her hips started shaking. Loud moans escaped her mouth.  Both her smell and her taste were intoxicating. Aang could do this all night, but he had other plans for her. He kissed his way back up to her mouth, sharing her taste as he kissed her. His cold tongue battled her hot one as he used his fingertips to gently rub her virgin hole. He started waterbending her fluids, using them to rub her deep inside. She was very tight, so he wanted to relax her before he put his fingers inside.   She moaned into the kiss, amazed by the sensation. She was throbbing. She needed him inside. She broke from his mouth. “Have me,” she hissed.

He gently pushed a finger inside and began to pump it in and out. Two was a harder fit, but she adjusted for him, bucking against his hand as he kissed her face and neck. Soon, she began to thrash against him. The combination of his hands and waterbending skills were enough to drive her over the edge and she came hard for him, coating his fingers in her essence.  
 He gave them to the Princess to lick clean and she sucked them into her mouth.

Aang was loving this ability to extract water. He was able to waterbend the sweat out of their bed sheets and then the sweat off their torsos.

“Are you ready?” he asked her.  “Not yet,” Azula said. “I want to touch you.” She pushed him on his back and straddled his hips. She kissed his mouth and began to explore his body with her mouth and warmed fingertips. She kissed the scar that her lightening left on his chest and left a bite mark on the right side of his chest. She kissed him down his abs and then bit his hips. She started scratching at his inner thighs, making him growl as she eyed the throbbing erection in front of her.

He was large, but it looked freakishly large given his young frame. She flicked the underside of his head with her tongue.  
 “OH FUCK!” he grunted.

  She smirked and licked him again and again, each time hitting the same sensitive part until she traced along the vein that ran on the underside. After that, she sucked the head into her mouth. He was salty. She moaned against him as she enjoyed herself bobbing her head upside down.

Men need to feel loved and wanted. She loved him. He knew that she loved him. Now, he would know how much she wanted him. She sucked him like it was her favorite thing to do in the world. She writhed as she licked, sucked and stroked him. She left a mark on his inner thigh and sucked his family jewels into her mouth as she stroked him.  “AZULA FUCK!” Her past lives really prepared her for this.

She sucked his head back into her mouth, working in tandem with her hand as she moved quickly, bobbing her head like the world was ending until he shot his load in the back of her mouth. She swallowed every drop and then kissed her way back up to his neck.

“I’m ready when you are,” she said, whispering into his ear.


	41. Into the Spirit World II

 By the time the full moon came, it was obvious that Tui was somehow the moon spirit again and since Yue hadn’t come to the Spirit World, she was back on Earth.

This ended Tui’s trial since active spirits couldn’t go on trial.

Koh was quite bitter about it. He wanted her to get what was hers. He thought he had everything he needed to be King of Everything. He would have stolen everyone’s faces, destroyed the Earth and then taken over the spirit world, proving to the world that the Avatar was a lie.  But instead, he got bested by a former moon spirit, her punk for a spirit child, Agni and Aang, a twelve year old brat who ran away for 100 years.

To make it all worse, he was stuck in the spirit library with this twit of a knowledge spirit. 

Koh thought back to his life before the Avatar.

Once upon a time I had fate in my hands   
And the confidence of a million regimes   
And they said, "Brother, you're in charge   
We'll follow anything you say"  
 Once upon a time Mother said to me,  
"Child you are everything   
That you see in your dreams"  
And I thought, Faces, that's the key   
There are no rules surrounding me   
There are no prisons in this life 

But then the avatar came and they put some lowly human in charge of “balancing’ the human world and the spirit world. What does that even mean, balance? Either it’s yours or it’s not and if it’s not yours, shut up. And now, the avatar had him trapped here.

Let me out of here   
Give me back to the wind   
Let me out of here   
Let me see my faces  
Let me out of here   
Don't you understand who I am?


	42. Love Me Tonight II

Katara and Toph were in bed, The earthbender was sound asleep. Both girls were content with just kissing at this stage. It was just nice to have someone to wake up to. The waterbender was trying to adjust to her snoring, but Toph sounded like a badgermole.

Katara rolled the girl on her side and then rolled the other way to go to sleep. “I need to start going to sleep first,” Katara muttered to herself as she closed her eyes.

* * *

Mai was panting, struggling to communicate whatever thoughts were in her head as a hot tongue kept moving all around inside of her, driving her mad with pleasure and these fingertips kept teasing her everywhere.

 “OOOOHHHHH!!!!!” she shrilled before she gave in, climaxing all over her attentive girlfriend.

 Mai had no idea sex would be so intimate. It was one thing to hear about “the bird and the bees.” It was quite another to find yourself being licked in places you didn’t think anyone would put a tongue or being touched in places you don’t even touch yourself. She wasn’t sure how she would go about doing to Ty Lee what had just been done to her. She lacked the confidence and the experience that her acrobatic lover had.

“How was that?” Ty Lee asked her as she rejoined her at the top of the bed.  
 

“That was …. indescribable.” Mai couldn’t elaborate more because Ty Lee’s lips crashed on hers, startling the former assassin who was unsure about tasting herself on her girlfriend’s lips. It seemed obscene when she thought about it, but it tasted okay.  
 

“You taste good,” Ty Lee murmered in Mai’s ear as she got ready to shut out the lights. It was time for bed.

A blush covered Mai’s face as Ty Lee’s strong arms wrapped around her stomach.

* * *

  
“Are you there,” Sokka asked as he held Yue in his arms, gently moving his hips back and forth.  “Almost. I need more time,” she said as he started kissing her neck. He was almost ready and he wanted her to finish with him. He started to rub her clitoris with his thumb, eliciting gaps from her perfect lips as he gently rocked her back and forth.

“I love you Sokka,” she gasped.  
 Before he could respond, pleasure started cascading over her like waves and she let out a cry as she tightened around him. The sensation was just what Sokka needed to find his own release and he pulled her close, kissing her passionately as they cllimaxed one after the other.

He didn’t move right away and as soon as he threw away the condom, he came back to hold her in his arms and kiss her tenderly. “I love you Yue.”

They held each other as they drifted off to sleep, finally together again.

* * *

This was it. Aang hovered over Azula, kissing her gently as he wrapped his arms around her.

“I love you.” He buried his face in her neck as he grabbed her hips. He gently guided himself inside of her, pausing when he felt resistance.

 “I’m sorry,” he whispered in her ear as he pushed past, causing her to wince. He stopped, kissing her face as a weird soothing sensation hit her. Aang used his waterbending to alieviate some of her soreness. He couldn’t heal her fully, as that would just put her hymen in tact again, but he could make the sharp pain turn into a dull one.

 He inched his way into her and stopped when he was all the way in. Her arms were draped around his neck. She pulled him towards her for a kiss as she got used to being filled. The sensation was invasive, like she had been conquered, but she also found it quite satisfying, like she wanted him to conquer her.

“I’m ready,” she whispered into his ear. He started to slowly move his hips back and forth, keeping his thrusts short and slow as soft groans left her lips. She was so tight and hot and wet. His hips just wanted to go full speed ahead, but his mind stayed in control.  
 Azula’s walls started to relax. She was ready for more. “Faster,” she hissed into his ear. He slowly picked up the pace, telling her to let him know when it was the right speed.  
 

“OH SPIRITS!” she moaned, and he decided this was the correct pace. Her nails dug into his back as he nibbled on her ear lobe.

“Are you close?” he asked her. He was starting to get there.  
 

Azula felt good, but she needed more time. “I need more.”

Aang changed the angle, kneeling in front of her and pulling her hips towards him so he could grind his hip bone against her clitoris as he thrusted.  
 Her moans of pleasures met his throaty grunts as Azula started to raise her hips to meet him.

Aang could hear her voice hitching. They were both almost there. He went a little bit faster. “OH FUCK! AZULA”

The candles around the bed started changing colors as their inner fires became blazing hot.  
 He came first but she was right behind him. “AAANG!” He gasped when she tightened around him. He felt like the air had been taken from his lungs.

She pulled him into a hungry kiss, not wanting him to leave her just yet. Eventually, he threw the condom away. Azula went to the bathroom to get some water. When she came back, Aang looked at her and licked his lips. The look in her eyes said it all. They were just getting started.

* * *

  
 Zuko was not very experienced with women. Other than an encounter with Jin that he regretted the next morning, Zuko had never been sexual with a woman. Luckily, he was not expected to do much work tonight. The women in his bed aimed to please him, happy to be amongst the first to bed the new Fire Lord.

When he was recouperating, the two women would please each other, giving him a show as he relaxed.

Sex without love sounded empty, but right now, it felt really good. It was like a temporary love. They would love him tonight and tomorrow, go on with their lives.  He knew he had done the right thing by letting Mai go, but it still stung to see her happier with someone else. The two warriors in his bed were like a pain reliever. They took the sting right out.

* * *

  
Azula carefully lowered herself onto Aang. He held hips, guiding her as he filled her. “UGHMPH!” she growled as she adjusted to the new angle. She rocked her hips forward, grinding against him as she set the pace.

  
 It took the avatar about five seconds to realize he loved this position. He could see Azula’s gorgeous body quite well. The candles behind her, caused her to have this glow to her like a goddess and it was easy for him to touch her all over as she controlled the action. He knew that they had done this many times before over the span of several lifetimes.

  
 The Princess’s hands gripped Aang’s shoulders, gazing into his eyes as she started to move faster. “OH!”  The airbender leaned forward, sucking a perfect nipple into his mouth and chewing on it. His hands grabbed her behind and he began to squeeze her firm cheeks.  
 

Azula wanted to speed up, but Aang wanted to slow down. “We have all night,” he whispered in her ear as he held her hips down. He folded his legs under her, causing her to wrap her legs around his hips, and they began to rock back and forth in the lotus position. He kissed her gently, their breathing synchronized as their bodies were melded together.

The firebender had never heard of this position before and she didn’t know how to describe it. She knew there was a difference between making love and fucking, but this seemed different from either of those two. It was more spiritual, which seemed appropriate when sleeping with a monk and was quite enjoyable.

Firebenders are about passion and explosiveness. They are often adept at fucking and on special occasions, they will make love. But the Sun Princess was not just any other firebender. Her connection to the moon gave her a greater appreciation for slower and more sensual encounters and falling in love with an airbender would certainly lead to more peaceful encounters like this one. The concept of peaceful sex seemed almost foreign to Azula. She imagined it would always be rough and angry. She had no idea how much love she would feel.

Spirituality was familiar to Aang both as a monk and as the avatar, but sexual desire was a new frontier for him. He was raised to put aside his carnal desires except for procreation, and it was easy to do since he didn’t really know what lust felt like until he started to notice Azula. But now that he is with her, he ached for her all the time. He wanted to be close to her physically, to touch her salaciously, to feel her spirit entertwined with his. He wanted her in everyway possible.

“My fingers claw your skin  
trying to tear my way in  
you are the moon that breaks  
at night for which I have to howl

“My fingers claw your skin  
trying to tear my way in  
you are the moon that breaks  
at night for which I have to howl

Eventually, they reached their climaxes, but instead of one definitive moment of pleasure, it felt like gentle waves of joy overtook both of them.  
 The two lovers basked in their afterglow as they nestled side by side.  
 

“I love you,” she said sleepily as his arm went around her waist.

 “I love you, my Princess,” he responded as he kissed her cheek.


	43. The Morning After

Zuko woke up at sunrise, the firebender in him being stirred. A beautiful woman lie on either side of him. He had no idea what one night stand etiquitte was, so he left quietly as to not disturb their slumber.

The Fire Lord went outside to practice his firebending. He had to maintain his fighting prowress. Usually Azula was up and outside, but she was no where to be seen. He shrugged and practiced on his own.

His firebending had improved greatly since he visited the Sun Warrior’s temple. He had better self control and creativity, now that anger was no longer his source.

“Very impressive Zuko.” He turned around to see his Uncle Iroh looking at him.

The nephew nodded and then spoke to him. “It’s good to have you home.”

“I’ll be staying through your coronation, and then I’ll have to get to my tea shop.” Zuko would be coronated the following Sunday,

“You’re leaving so soon.”

 “It’s time for me to move on with my life. I’ve spent much of it in the military and I’m old. I’m ready for a more leisurely pace. Plus, you are in perfectly good hands here.” Iroh never would have thought Azula’s hands would be good hands, but the Crown Princess had proven herself to be both talented and good spirited. The former had never been in doubt, but the later seemed inconceivable.

“I just get so wrapped up in work, it’s hard to keep perspective.”

“Take a breath and look at the big picture. The world spent 100 years at war, a war that couldn’t have ended before your generation took the reigns. You have friends and family dedicated to peace and they have all proven themselves, and so have you. You have everything you need. You just have to trust yourself.”

* * *

Toph woke up and her Sugar Queen was fast asleep. “Waterbenders. They just want to sleep all morning.”

 Toph got up and went to go get something to eat. She saw Haru and Jet and were surprised they were awake. “What are the trouble twins doing up at this hour?”

Haru laughed. “Well, I got too drunk to fall asleep, so here I am, eating breakfast.”

Jet said, “Some of the warriors wanted me to take them out to see the city today. I woke up early so I didn’t miss them.

“I want to come too,” Haru added.

The other warriors came down to breakfast, except for Rai and Suki. Rai went to check on her leader who was just waking up.

“How are you feeling Suki?” Rai asked her.

 “What the hell happened to me?”

“You had a bit of a problem last night. We had to sedate you.”

 “You what?” Suddenly, she started to remember it all, Yue arriving, Sokka breaking up with her, running into Azula in the hallway.

“We didn’t want to fight you, but you wouldn’t calm down, so we thought that was the safest option. I know it hurts, but we’re here for you. All of us.”

They went out to breakfast to learn form Toph that the other warriors had just left with Haru and Jet.

“Of course they did.”

“I’m sure you can still catch them, or maybe you and Sokka can do something else.” Toph didn’t know about the breakup.

“I don’t want to hear his name right now.” Suki stormed off.

 “What did I say?” Toph asked.

Rai didn’t answer. She ran after Suki.

* * *

Sokka felt great. He was half asleep and had Yue in his arms, nestled next to him, like they were spoons. “Good morning,” he murmered as he kept his eyes closed. She was fully asleep until she heard shrieking.

“WHERE IS HE!”

It was Suki. She had gone to confront Sokka, but he wasn’t in his room, which meant he was in Yue’s room.

Rai didn’t know which room was Yue’s and even if she did, she wouldn’t tell the angry warrior.  Suki started pounding on random doors. Yue knew she’d be here soon.

“Sokka, wake up. Suki’s flipping out right now.”

Sokka shot awake and said he’d take care of it.

He put on his clothes and went out onto Yue’s paviliion, entering the room next door to hers, He opened the door out into the hallway. “What are you doing?”

“WHY WEREN’T YOU IN YOUR OWN ROOM!”

Before he could answer, the accusations started. “You’re already fucking that moon slut aren’t you?” She pushed past him to see an empty room.  “She’s not even here,” Sokka said, ignoring the rest of her comment. “She wasn’t in here at all.” What he said was true. He just hadn’t slept there last night. “I just needed somewhere I wouldn’t be disturbed so I could think, so I came in here.”

Suki didn’t get the showdown she was hoping for, so she stormed off. Rai was still trying to talk some sense into her.

Sokka returned to Yue’s room. “She’s gone.”

Yue didn’t feel so good. As happy as she was, it hurt seeing Suki so upset. Sokka wrapped his arms around his new girlfriend.

“Suki’s a strong girl. She’ll be okay.” He kissed Yue’s forehead and they stayed in bed for a while longer.

* * *

Toph had been looking for someone to tell her what’s going on. She saw Zuko on his way to his office.

 “Sparky, what’s wrong with Suki?”

Zuko led Toph to his office where he explained. “Sokka dumped her last night because he’s in love with Yue, and she took it badly.”

“Ohh!” Toph didn’t see that coming, but she realized she should have. His heart started pounding as soon as Aang and Azula mentioned her and when she came out on stage, she thought he’d explode on the spot.

“Did something happen?”

 “I don’t know. I didn’t realize they broke up and I mentioned him in front of her. She was clearly mad.”

Zuko sighed. “Well, I hope she calms down soon,” or goes home soon. Whichever happens first.

* * *

Mai woke up and was ready to take a bath and change her clothes. Ty Lee, on the other hand, had other ideas for the morning.  “Let’s stay in bed,” she murmured, kissing her lover’s neck.

 “But we’re all sweaty and gross.”

“I like you sweaty and gross. Especially since it’s because you were with me.” The acrobat began kissing her girlfriend and running her fingertips across her naked flesh.

Mai needed to bathe before she let Ty Lee touch her again. “After my bath,” Mai said.  

Ty Lee pouted, but she stopped. “Okay…. wait. Can we bathe together?” The aura reader perked up at the thought.  

“Maybe next time.” Mai got up. Ty Lee would eventually get up to get to her own bathtub.

Mai put on a robe and grabbed clean clothes. She took her bath and came back in her new outfit when she ran into the princess.

“How was your night?”

“What did Ty Lee say?” Mai snapped.

“Whoa! She didn’t say anything. It was just a question.”

Mai sighed. “Sorry, I’m a bit on edge.”

“Want to talk about it?”

Mai wasn’t sure if she did, but Azula knew her and Ty Lee the best, so maybe she could help. “Not in the hallway.”

They went out to Azula’s pavillion. Aang was still asleep.

“So I take it something happened last night?”

“Well…” Mai told her that she had thought they would just be kissing, but then Ty Lee started kissing her all over and it felt really good, so she wanted to do more and she did, and it was fun, but now she feels weird.   “What do you feel weird about?”

 “What do you mean?” Mai couldn’t be more specific.

“Is it weird because you had sex for the first time? Is it weird because it was with a girl? Is it weird because you saw Ty Lee as just a friend for so long and now she’s your girlfriend, which makes you wonder where the friendship went.”

“I don’t think it’s because she’s a girl or my friend. It just wasn’t what I expected.”

“What did you expect?”

Mai didn’t really know. What was sex supposed to feel like. “I didn’t realize how obscene it would be. She touched me in places where I didn’t think I would be touched. She let her tongue roam everywhere. I enjoyed it but I don’t know if I could do those things to her."

Azula was beginning to understand. “You got caught up in the metaphors.” 

“What?”

“For whatever reason, they always explain sex as being beautiful and it is, but not the way we envision it. They use metaphors like the birds and the bees or you have a delicate flower. It all sounds like roses and sweetness, but sex is not innocent and cute like it’s described. It’s dirty, sweaty, invasive and well obscene.”

“Exactly. I didn’t expect that at all.”

“I didn’t either, but my past life experience kind of just told me what to do. When you love someone, you want them to feel good and you want to be the one to make them feel good, so what your doing to them becomes fun. Don’t think about what it is you’re doing. Just feel. Also, if you’re a bit squemish about it, you can take a bath together first, which will be its own fun.”

 “Ty Lee wanted to, but I felt weird about that too. I’m all dirty and she’s all dirty and we’re in the same bath water together.”

“That’s what happens when you’re with someone, and if you need to slow down, tell her, but sex will always be sex. I don’t think it’s going to magically become sterile.”

 Mai snorted. “I guess you’re right.”

“Ty Lee has to be one of the most understanding people I know. Just talk to her when it feels like too much.”

“Thanks.”

Mai went to find Ty Lee who was taking her bath. The acrobat had grabbed the sponge, but Mai took it from her. “Let me.”

* * *

Aang woke up to hear the bedroom door close. The servants had just brought them breakfast.   “I’m not wearing anything,” Aang said, a bit embarassed that Azula’s servants had just been in here.  “I’m past the point of modesty with them. Plus, I pulled the sheets over you before they came in here.”

For Aang, they brought poached eggs on toast, juice and a fruit tart. Azula got bacon and eggs, a roll and a bowl of cherries along with some tea.

Aang needed the energy after all that they had done the night before. He wished every morning after could be just like this.


	44. Changing of the Guard

Zuko’s coronation was only a few days away and he needed to decide who would stay in the government and who would go.

He met with Azula and Iroh to get their opinion on the matter.  
 “I don’t think I can trust Ozai’s cabinet. So many of them made a lot of money on this war. i’m concerned they’ll undermine our reconcilliation attempts.”

Iroh nodded in agreement.

Azula pursed her lips and then spoke. “I think you’re right not to trust them, but that doesn’t mean you should get rid of them all right away for a few reasons. Ozai hired people who knew what they were doing. These people understand poltiics, economics, and the underlying social issues that are in the Fire Nation and in our colonies.

We’ll lose a lot of knowledge if we show them all the door as well as burn bridges that could lead to later conflicts. What I think you should do is look for people you can trust and see if the current officials would be willing to mentor them and phase in your new team. If you do it all at once, it will be harder to keep the government stable and running smoothly and it will send the message, if you were an ally of Ozai, you are an enemy of Zuko, and I don’t think you want that message.

I’m not saying these were good guys. Most of them were far from it, but they didn’t give him the crown. People who want to get ahead will ally themselves with who is in charge, so if we get rid of all of Ozai’s allies, we get rid of the ambitious people we need to get things done.”  
 “But do you think these guys will stick around to train younger people to take their jobs.”

“It depends on how you phrase it. If you say, I want to thank you for all that you have done serving the nation. (List their accomplishments) and then say, I have someone in mind for this position that I would like to take over. It’s not personal, but we’ve worked together before and it’s a rapport I would like to maintain, but he needs more experience. If you would be willing to stay on and teach him, it would be a great service to the country.

Make it a paid position with a cushy pension and they can say that they served their country with honor and once they’re done teaching, they can retire in style. They’ll know that they’re being given the boot, but you can give them the boot respectfully and that will go a long way.

Iroh added, “I like that idea a lot, mainly because it keeps the people you’re worried about where you can watch them. If you fire them all at once, you don’t know what they’re doing and they all can to meet together and plot. You can get ahead of the game by keeping them around longer.”

They decided to retain Mai’s father as well as some of his closest associates. Zuko already damaged the bridge with his failed relationship with Mai. He didn’t want to make it worse by firing her dad too.

They made a list of issues they would have to address after his coronation: peace treaties, trade agreements, Yu Dao, the military, the prison system, as well as the economy, taxation, and the food supply, which were always an issue.

 

***

The Northern Water Tribe

 Chief Arnook had to think about the future leadership for his tribe. Originally, his daughter was to marry Hahn and Hahn would take over the tribe, but when Yue died, the betrothal ended.

Chief Arnook had not figured out who the next tribe leader would be. Now that she was back, he wasn’t about to make her marry Hahn again. He wanted her to be able to choose, but according to tribe custom, whomever she chose would lead the tribe. He wasn’t sure what would happen if she fell for someone from another nation. The tribe mgiht not accept him.

His council wanted to meet to discuss the matter, but he needed time to think and to talk to Yue. When Aang and Azula wanted to take her to the end of the war party, he saw it as a relief. She needed to have some fun and some time away from the political drama that would ensue.

 ***

  
Ba Sing Se

Kuei was put back on his throne. Long Feng was in jail and the Dai Li were given a new leader, one selected by Kuei, to help ensure that they did not overthrow the king again.

The agents were lucky to have been pardoned. It wouldn’t have happened if Azula hadn’t negotiatied for it before Sozin’s Comet. She instucted the agents to help the White Lotus push out the Fire Nation soldiers and in return the agents would not be jailed.   It wasn’t entirely their fault that they weren’t loyal to the King. He hadn’t been much of a king at all.  But now, Kuei was expected to lead his country and manage his affairs. Unfortunately, it had been a long time since any King had led the country.


	45. Coronation

The stands were packed. People from all over the world in their finest attire here to welcome Zuko to the throne. Zuko knelt in front of the Head Sage who read his sacred rite and then put took his Crown Prince crown and replace it with a Fire Lord crown, taller and with rubies embedded in it.  
 It felt kind of heavy. Zuko immediately decided he would only wear it for formal events.

The crowd stood up and applauded. 

Zuko gave his speech, which his sister helped him write. He thanked everyone for coming and gave his assurances that he would be there both as a protector of his citizens and as a builder to help establish world peace and he was ready to help move the Fire Nation and the world forward.

After he proceeded out, the royal family followed him and then the Sages and then people were free to mingle until the banquet started. Azula arranged for a cocktail hour so people could have a drink and speak freely before they were put in their assigned seats. She knew this is when deals were made, so she was sure to mingle in the crowd and see who was talking to whom.

She noticed Arnook having what looked like a terse conversation with a member of his own tribe. She panned around and saw Kuei’s advisors speaking amongst each other. They kept looking at the Fire Lord, so Azula wanted to make sure to figure out what they were scheming.

Hakoda seemed to be in a more celebratory mode. He was having a drink with his son. Yue was with them drinking water and Iroh was schmoozing with various guests.  
 The princess was so focused on her people watching that she was surprised by an air twister that forced her to turn around into awaiting lips. Aang pulled her close, kissing his girlfriend who was wearing a beautiful red and gold dress and her crown jewels.

“Hello Mr. Avatar,” she whispered into his ear once she finally caught her breath.

“What was such a pretty lady doing by herself?”

“You know how I people watch.”

“Well, I like watching you.” He pulled her in for another kiss and then found himself surrounded by people all wanting to talk to him before they were seated, some to discuss business and others to kiss his feet. He took his responsibility seriously, but this was a celebration. Couldn’t they afford him a few minutes with his girlfriend.  
 “I’ll see you at dinner,” she said as she bid her farewell.

***

Toph and Katara were in the gardens before dinner. After the coronation, Katara was going to the Northern Water Tribe to teach waterbending and Toph had multiple job offers in Bah Sing Se. She would likely be teaching the police force how to metalbend.

“I made this for you,” Toph said to her girlfriend, taking out a box.

Katara opened it to see a silver bracelet in a weave pattern. 

“Azula said it was the color of the moon, so if she was lying ….”

“No, it’s perfect.” It even had a clasp. Katara put it on. “I love it.”  
   
Toph was years away from asking for Katara’s hand, but she wanted the waterbender to know that she cared and she hoped that the distance between them wouldn’t feel so far if she had something to hold onto. Katara gave her a kiss. She never thought Toph would prove to be a romantic.

Sokka had the same idea for a walk through the garden with Yue and he paused when he saw his sister.

 “Aren’t they cute?” he said to his girlfriend. He was glad to see Katara happy and with someone he knew would protect her no matter what. He also thought Toph would help Katara loosen up a little bit. Katara also seemed to influence Toph as well. She of course was still brass, but she started to put more effort into her appearance and her etiquette.

 Yue nodded as she went to kiss Sokka on the cheek. “I so happy about everything, especially you and me.” Sokka pulled her close to him.


	46. Dinner

The Fire Lord sat at the head of the royal table. Azula was on his left and to the right was Iroh. Aang, of course was Azula’s date and filling out the rest of the table was Mai and Ty Lee, Katara and Toph, Sokka and Yue and Haru and Jet.

 “This looks like we’re all at the kids table, and Iroh is our babysitter,” Azula retorted as she sat down.

Ty Lee cracked up. She spent much of her childhood at the kids table.

 Mai rolled her eyes, but she did have a point.   Aang was happy to be at any table if they would bring him fruit tarts.

The other tables were divided by nationality, some tables for the Fire Nation nobility, council and military. Tables for the Earth Kingdom, the various kings at one table and the nobles and military at another. The Water Tribes had two tables, the chiefs and councilmen at one and some of the other members at the other.

At the table with the chiefs were Hahn and his father. Their arrangement to marry Yue ahd ended with her death, but now that she was back, they were hoping to have another betrothal.

Hahn had been courting another girl, but he dropped her once he learned that Yue was alive again.

Speaking of being dumped, Suki was at a table with the Kyoshi Warriors. Azula thought it best to put her with her friends after her outbursts the week before, and the leader felt like she had been kicked off Team Avatar as well, Yue again taking her place. She turned to see Yue and Sokka laughing together, a bitter sight indeed.

The dinner started coming out, trays of food to be shared family style entered the dining room. Of course, the royal table was served first

The sounds of people’s conversations echoed through the air as people talked to the people next to them, across from them and at the next table over. Azula was eavesdropping on the table behind her, listening to Kuei’s advisors as they discussed how they wanted to approach Zuko.

She wasn’t listening to the conversation at her own table and didn’t notice when Toph was talking to her.  The earthbender threw a roll at the Princess’s head. 

 “What?” Azula caught it, unsure of why she had it in her hand.  “Were you even listening?”

 “Sorry, what did you say to me?”

“I asked you how you felt about your boyfriend over there getting plastered with dumb and dumber last night.”

“Oh, he can do what he wants.”

“Well duh, I mean do you think they’re a bad influence?” Toph was hoping to add fuel to some kind of fire. The conversation was boring at the moment.  “Well of course they are,” Azula retorted. “But everyone should have a friend or two who’s a bad influence. How do you think I got to be friends with Mai and Ty Lee?”

“You’re friends with us so you can be our bad influence?” Mai asked her.

 “No. You two are a bad influence on me.”

Ty Lee cackled. 

Mai responded, “on what planet?”

“Do I need to remind you of the day of awesome?”

“You think that compares to the influence you’ve been on us over the years?” Ty Lee looked surprised.

 “How many whippings have you ever gotten because of me?”

They looked at each other, “None, except for that time you chased Mai around with a whip, but you were wasted.”

“I got 20 lashes because of you two, so clearly you are the worse influence.”

“When was this?” Iroh asked her.  “We were nine, so five years ago.”

Now, Toph was interested. “What did you do to earn twenty lashes?”


	47. Hakuna Matata

95AG Mai’s room after school.

Mai and Ty Lee just came in after playing tag.

 “I’m tired,” Mai pouted as she sat on her bed.

 “It’s more tiring with two people, since you’re it half the time. I wish Zula were here.”

“She never has time to play anymore,” Mai retorted. The Princess was always busy. On top of school she had firebending lessons, sessions with the royal tutor, and now etiquette classes. As she got older, she would have to go to more political/social engagements and her mother wanted her to be ready.

“Maybe she can come over Saturday.”

***

“I can’t come over Saturday,” Azula said to Ty Lee when they got to lunch the next day.

 “Why not?”

 “I have my etiquette training all morning and in the afternoon, I have my firebending lessons and my parents want me to study for our test on Monday, so I’m booked all day.”

 “That sounds dreadful,” Mai said.  “It is. Being a princess sucks sometimes.”

That evening, while Azula was doing her Fire Nation history assignment, her two friends were getting ice cream.

 “It sucks that she can’t even play on a Satuday,” Ty Lee lamented as she finished her cone.  “Let’s face it. Unless we kidnap her, we won’t be able to see her outside of school.”

A candle went off in the young acrobat’s head. “Kidnap her?”

***

Come Saturday morning, Azula was getting dressed. Like any good firebender, she woke up with the sun and she was on her way to get breakfast, when she felt a hand go over her mouth.  “We’re kidnapping you,” the familiar voice whispered. One “assailant” left a note and the other knocked over the Princess’s stuff, feigning a struggle. The trio left the palace without the guards seeing them.

“So what is your asking price?” the princess asked as they went down the road.  “A million ban,” Mai answered.

 “You think they’d pay that for me?” For the Fire Lord maybe, but not for a mere princess.

 “We don’t want the money. We just wanted to free you from the palace.”

“To do what exactly?”

“Hakuna Matata,” Mai responded.

“What is THAT?”

“It’s a wonderful phrase,” Ty Lee responded.

“Hakuna Matata,” Mai sang. “Ain’t no passing craze.”

 “It means no worries, for the rest of your days.” Ty joined.

 “It’s our problem free, philosphy. Hakuna Matata.”

“Have you two been drinking cactus juice?” Azula retorted.

“You spend way too much time working,” Mai responded. “And for what? You won’t be courted for another 3-4 years and surely it won’t take you that long to learn some etiquette rules.”

“Also, all that studying will just wear out your brain and make you dumber,” Ty Lee added. “You need rest to repair yourself and grow.”

“This all sounds nice, but I don’t have the luxury of just doing whatever all day and ignoring my responsibilities”

“But today, you do,” Ty Lee countered. “So let’s get to it.” They walked to a nearby neighborhood and played firetag with some of the local children.  Azula didn’t remember the last time she played a game where there was no real winner. After the oddity of the event wore off, it was actually fun.

“That was nice. I should be getting home now, before my mom really flips out.”

“You still don’t get it Azula,” Mai stopped her. “Hakuna Matata means no worries, so stop worrying about your stupid lesson.”

“Can I at least worry about breakfast? I’m hungry.”

They walked to a dim sum restaurant and started pointing at carts, stuffing their faces with char siu bao, spring rolls, fried chicken wings, shumai and all kinds of goodies. They had a table near the window.

 “So what have I been missing out on?” The firebender inquired as she poured herself more tea.

 “Tag, ice cream, pranking one of Ty Lee’s sisters.” They would rotate between the six.

“I do miss making Jing shrill when we hide something in her sock drawer.”

“We can do that later.”

 They were just getting ready to finish their meal when Azula saw the royal guards. Instinctively, she hid under the table.  One of them recognized Mai. “Have you seen Azula?”

“No. She said she had her lessons today.”

When they passed, Azula climbed back up in her chair.  “I’m surprised you didn’t just go home,” Ty Lee told her.  “You said no worries. Well, I’m not worrying about my parents,” right now.

 After dim sum the girls went all over the city, hitching rides on the back of carriages and running along roof tops, skipping rocks on the lake, and rolling down hills, chasing around turtle ducks and during the evening, they saw fireworks as they ate bahn mi.   “Hakuna Matata, Hakuna Matata, Hakuna Matata, Hakuna Matata.”

“It means no worries, for the rest of your days,” Azula belted.

 “Yeah sing it girl.”

“It’s our problem free, philosphy, Hakuna Matata.”

The girls snuck back into the palace. Azula hid her friends in her room for a sleepover and then went to face the music.  At first, her family thought it was just a prank, but when she stayed out all day and evening, not just skipping the etiquette lessons, they started to panic. When she came walking into the lounge without any worry, their fear got quickly consumed by anger.  “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?”

“HOW COULD YOU BE SO IRRESPONSIBLE?”

In her mind, she said Hakuna Matata, but to her parents, she just said. “Sorry, I needed a break.”

Her father did not take kindly to her antics and then she got the lashes.


	48. Whiskey and Whiners

“It was supposed to be 30 lashes, but Azulon stopped Ozai and then sent me to my room,” where he also sent a healer. Azulon was a very old fashioned kind of guy In his mind, females were the gentler sex and needed to be guarded. A whipping was most inappropriate for a young girl, an adult woman for adultery, maybe.

 He didn’t approve of running away or of leaving bogus ransom notes, but who didn’t get into some mischief as a child. The Fire Lord sure did, but he prefered arson over rolling down hills.

“All and all, an awesome day,” Ty Lee added.

“It was, which is how it got its name day of awesome,” and after that day, she never thought twice about disobeying her father, well until she got a visit from Roku.

“You got 20 lashes for being a kid?” Katara shouldn’t have been surprised, given how evil Ozai was, but damn.  
 

“Yep. Ozai believed in success, and that’s it. I had to work and work so I didn’t fail. Taking a day off was frowned upon, to say the least.”

 “And I thought you liked all the training,” Iroh lamented. He didn’t understand her as well as he thought he had. He wondered if he could have reached her earlier in life.

“I love firebending, but training with Ozai wasn’t always fun (actually, it was seldom fun). I just wanted him to be proud of me, so I kept going.” The praise had once meant everything

“We should have another awesome day,” Mai said, “one where we have no work, just fun.”  
 

Azula looked at her. “Since when do you believe in fun?”

“Shut up!” Mai snapped. So being with Ty Lee was making her soft. Bite Me!

 “Haha, that’s my girl,” Azula laughed.

 “Mai’s right. We haven’t had a dance party or anything in forever.”

“No, we had one when we took Ba Sing Se,” Azula reminded her.

 “Well, since then ….”

“You had a dance party before you took Ba Sing Se?” Sokka questioned. How did they get beat by these three bizarre girls?  

Azula shrugged. “Ty Lee liked our uniforms, so we decided to put on a song and dance routine in them. We needed to kill time before the fighting started up again.”  
 Single Ladies

“These uniforms are cool,” Ty Lee did a cartwheel. “And these fans are so cute.”

“I can’t believe warriors actually wear these,” Mai deadpanned.  “We look more like Geisha’s than warriors.”

 “Let’s have a dance party,” Ty Lee cooed.  “You want to dance now?” Azula questioned.

 “We do look like entertainers. We should sing too!”

Mai sighed.  Azula said. “Why not?” It was her palace anyway, well it would be in a couple of hours.

The three girls surveyed the room, quickly staging the scene before they got into a triangle and started to dance.

Their hips were shaking in sync while they waved their fans.  
 All the single ladies (All the single ladies)  
All the single ladies (All the single ladies)  
All the single ladies (All the single ladies)

All the single ladies

Now put your hands up

Azula moved to the front, showing off that she could “pop lock and drop it.”

Up in the club, we just broke up  
I'm doing my own little thing  
You decided to dip but now you wanna trip  
Cause another brother noticed me  
I'm up on him, he up on me  
don't pay him any attention  
Cause I cried my tears, for three good years  
Ya can't be mad at me

Mai and Ty Lee took over during the chorus. Mai ran up the wall and did a back flip while the acrobat did a flip and then landing in a split.

Cause if you liked it then you should have put a ring on it  
If you liked it then you should've put a ring on it  
Don't be mad once you see that he want it  
If you liked it then you should've put a ring on it

Wuh uh oh uh uh oh oh uh oh uh uh oh  
Wuh uh oh uh uh oh oh uh oh uh uh oh

Azula did a back bridge and which went into a flip, landing on her feet just in time for the next verse.

Acting up, drink in my cup  
I could care less what you think  
I need no permission, did I mention  
Don't pay him any attention  
Cause you had your turn  
And now you gonna learn  
What it really feels like to miss me

Cause if you liked it then you should have put a ring on it  
If you liked it then you should've put a ring on it  
Don't be mad once you see that he want it  
If you liked it then you should've put a ring on it

Wuh uh oh uh uh oh oh uh oh uh uh oh  
Wuh uh oh uh uh oh oh uh oh uh uh oh

“And after that we heard someone coming, so we had to bounce.”

* * *

 

After dinner, a special edition Fire Whiskey to commemorate Zuko’s reign had been served. It had been bottled the year he was born.

“To Zuko!” They clicked their glasses and took their shots.   Aang burped fire. “Excuse me.”

Azula snickered at him. “So uncouth.”  
 Aang raised an eyebrow and started to move his hand up Azula’s thigh. If you want uncouth….

“Don’t start something you aren’t prepared to finish,” she said under her breath.

“Oh, I plan to finish,” he said with his eyes.

While the lovers were shamelessly flirting, Haru and Jet were getting tanked and telling their favorite war stories. Toph had a few of her own to offer and Katara was chatting with Yue.

Hakoda wanted a word with his son.  “Have you thought about what you’re going to do now that the war’s over?”

Sokka shrugged. “I’m not sure. Do you need me to come home?”  
 “I’ll always welcome you, but we don’t need to take you away from anything else.”  
 As the two men discussed Sokka’s future, Suki looked on angrily. She was bitter that he was there one minute, gone the next and there was no sweat off his back while she was left reeling. Rai was worried. She thought Suki should have skipped the event given how she had behaved the week before. She offered to take the girl to do something fun, but she insisted that she wouldn’t let her stupid ex ruin her plans. It seemed like that was exactly what she was doing.

She flagged down a waiter and got another shot. This would be a long night.

Iroh could always appreciate a fine fire whiskey. He sat back and talked to his old friends, glad to see a new era coming for the Fire Nation. He looked to his neice and nephew. They had both grown so much. Azula looked happy for the first time, ever, well happy not making someone else unhappy and Zuko had grown into a fine young man. Hopefully, he’d find a nice lady some day, well if he ever left work long enough to look.

Not everyone, however, was happy about the progeny of Ozai running the Fire Nation. Kuei in particular was mad about both siblings effort in taking down Ba Sing Se. His anger was a thin veil for his shame. He had known nothing about what was really going on in the world or about his own police force. Azula exposed it all for the world to see when she took over the Dai Li and they just opened the wall. Bam! The city fell.   The nobles were furious with his ineptitude and Kuei needed to prove himself as a leader. He had to make the Fire Nation pay.

He and his advisors began to approach Zuko.  
 Iroh didn’t see them coming, but Azula did. She stopped playing hand games with Aang and said in a low whisper to her brother, “Kuei is advancing on us. He’s going to want to talk business. Don’t commit to anything and try to keep the mood positive. He’ll be on the attack.”

“Fire Lord Zuko,” he started. “Princess….” She wanted to frown when he dropped off her name. There’s only one princess. Not too hard to remember. “Congratulations on your coronation.”

Zuko nodded.  
 

Kuei began to talk about how much work Zuko had ahead of him and how he could sympathize with being a young ruler and it all sounded find and dandy until he slipped in, wouldn’t it make it easier for you to withdraw from Yu Dao.

Before Zuko could answer, Azula piped in. “We’re prepared to do what it is necessary to make sure that the region remains stable.” She said Fuck you. It was a polite fuck you, but the message heard loud and clear.

“Forgive me, but I am sure the Fire Lord can answer for himself.” Another fuck you.

“I would have said the same thing.” Actually, Zuko would have gotten tripped up on whether to say yes or no, since it was a loaded question. He was relieved that Azula handled it for him.  
Zuko actually had done some research on the area this time around. “Our citizens have been there for over 100 years and it has been stable through out the war. If we just abandon it one day, we could end up with riots or even worse, a civil war. Surely, you would not want that.”

Kuei frowned. Zuko wasn’t giving an inch, well at least right now. Kuei made up some kind of excuse and abandoned the scene.  
 

“I was hoping to not have to do that tonight,” Zuko growled.  
 

“You have all of the world’s leaders here after 100 years of war. Get ready for whiskey and whiners,” Azula retorted. “Also, you handled yourself well. I just took that question because some yes or no questions, you can’t actually say yes or no to. They’re designed so that either answer will be wrong.”

“How do you know when it’s an impossible question?”

 “Easy. Get used to asking your own.” Azula used the trick to talk circles around people all the time during the war.

Arnook and Hahn were having their own terse conversation.  “I’m happy to see that Yue has returned,” Hahn said.  

“It is a miracle isn’t it?”

“As you remember, we had an agreement for her hand.”

 “We did, but as far as I am concerned, the deal no longer stands.”

“And why is that?” Hahn was not happy. “I gave her a betrothal necklace.”

“And we gave it back once she died and you continued to court other ladies as was your right to do so. If you had been married, would I have been entitled to order you to break your marriage in order to marry Yue? I think not.”  
 

“But I am not married.”

 “No, but you moved on. Now she’s back and if she wants to move on as well, why shouldn’t she.”

“This was for the stability of the tribe.”

 “During a war that is now over, and perhaps a new stability can be reached.” If Sokka married Yue, he could be chief of the Northern water tribe, which would set the stage for reunification with the southern water tribe. This could be crucial if another war broke out.

Hahn looked over to see Sokka laughing with Yue. The jerk had his sights on Yue since she was alive the first time. They even fought over her and now, it looked like Sokka was winning. Hahn refused to lose.

His father, on the other hand, was not looking for showdown with Hakoda. He saw the glint in his son’s eyes and said, “let me handle this.”  
 

“But DAD!” he whined.

 “I’m serious Hahn. You won’t get anywhere making a fool of yourself at this party.”  
 The man went to speak to Hakoda, who was having his own conversation with Toph. He noticed the bracelet that Katara had been wearing.  “Did you give that to her?”

 “Yes, and I made it myself.”

“Your earthbending is quite remarkable. Have you decided what you are going to do now?”

They spoke until Hakoda noticed a man approaching him. “I think I have to get to this.”  
 

Toph made off. She had passed the father test so far. She couldn't’ even imagine what her father would do when she found out the earthbender was dating her former “kidnapper.”


	49. Someone Special

“Chief Hakoda.” The man introduced himself.

“How can I be of service?”  They discussed their sons. Hahn had an established role in the Northern Water Tribe’s military where Sokka had been a been more of a free-form fighter.  

“It looks like your boy found his way,” the man said to the chieftain.

  “He’s a work in progress, but he does good work. And your son?”  

“Trying to figure out his role in the future of our tribe.”  

“Forgive me, but where do I fit in?” Hakoda asked him.  

“It’s not exactly where you fit, but where Sokka fits. As I’m sure you know, whomever marries Yue will become the chief of the Northern Water Tribe. My son had been engaged to her before she died, and he wishes to become engaged to her again, but I’m not blind. It looks like the stars have aligned differently this time around.”

“So you’re scoping out the competition?” “I’m trying to get a feel for the situation. I’m not here to try and scare Sokka off or start a fight. I just want to make it known that their are political consequences to Yue’s marriage, no matter who she marries, and I would hope that Sokka thinks about them fully before asking for her, as should you.”

“Me? I’m not one to tell Sokka who to marry.”  

“But your son is expected to take over for you when you retire. If he is expected to take over the Northern Water Tribe as well that could either mean reunification or he’s in charge of two separate tribes or he has to find a replacement for one of the tribes. It’s his love life but it’s your tribe.”

“I will keep that in mind, but I won’t tell him who to marry, even if it makes my life more complicated.”

“And you are a good father for that. Just know your complications.” Hahn’s father didn’t see much hope for Hahn getting Yue’s hand. With Hakoda ready to back his son, and presumably the Southern Water Tribe following him, it wouldn’t be hard to get Arnook to agree. He told his son to stay patient and not try to force anything. Of course, Hahn did not want to hear that at all. Jet and Haru both were complaining to Aang.

 “You’re so fucking lucky dude. In bed with one of the hottest chicks in the country and you know it’s for real.” Jet downed his shot.  “Yeah, we’re stuck looking for the right girl or the girl right now and you have it figured out.” Haru downed his shot. Aang thought he was just lucky to have Azula, bed or not, although her bed was amazing.

“If you’re looking for the right girl, you have to learn to look past sex.”  

“What?”

 “You dumb?”

 “It’s not that sex isn’t important, but it’s not a reason to stay with one girl. There are lots of girls in the world. Several of them would have sex with you, but not all of them would stay with you nor would you want them to say. The first thing I noticed about Azula when we were at the Sun Warrior’s temple was her passion for firebending. Just seeing the dragons made her soul light up like fireworks and when she firebends, it’s like she’s one with her element. It’s truly amazing, but it was only after that side of her that she became appealing to me. I have eyes, I knew she was attractive before, but after that night, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I still can’t. You know it’s right when you meet the girl who makes you doubt everything you once knew.”

Both of them growled. They were good at chasing skirts not chasing souls.  “That sounds complicated.”

“And tedious.”

“The best things in life don’t come free.”


	50. So There’s My Ex

Mai and Ty Lee were dancing. “You look gorgeous tonight,” the acrobat told her.

 “You say that every night.”

“But I mean it every night. That dress is so pretty, and it will look even better on my floor.” 

 Zuko was right behind her when she said that. 

“Ty Lee,” Mai hissed.  

“What?”

“May I have this dance?” Zuko asked.

 Ty Lee giggled and then turned away. Ice breaker.

 “So how is the Fire Lord doing?” Mai asked as they started to dance.

 “Hanging in there. I thought people could just drink and go home, but it’s politics everywhere.”

“I’m sure Azula’s loving this.” The Princess was having her own word with Hakoda.

“Better her than me. I’m not making any deals today. I refuse.”

“Now that sounds weird coming out of your mouth.”

 “It’s just too messy here. People want you to agree to stuff before you did your homework and know what’s going on.”

 “That’s the point.”

“You look nice,” Zuko said to her. “I think you should hang up your dress though, instead of just leaving it on the floor,” he teased.

 “Oh shut up!”

***

Azula had a suggestion for Hakoda. “Have you considered appointing a diplomat for the Southern Water Tribe?”

 Hakoda shook his head. It sounded like it might be a good idea. “What would they do? We usually don’t have such positions.”

“They represent your tribes interests in meetings and work on foreign relations in the country where they are staying. Let’s say your diplomat is in Gaoling and that is where the bulk of your trade is. Your diplomat works to make sure your relationship with Gaoling stays good, so there is no embargo. There will be a lot of rebuilding after the war and it would be nice if the different nations could come together on how to solve some of our shared problems, and it would protect your interests if your people wanted to travel.”

“I wouldn’t even know where to begin looking for one.”

 “How about Sokka? He knows your customs, has travelled all over, has allies in different nations and it would be good for him to gain some political experience, especially if he becomes a leader himself later on.”

Azula wanted to see how many of her friends she could get in high places. She and Sokka weren’t close, not like Zuko and Sokka or even Azula and Katara, but he had proven to be useful to have around and it would be easier to work with him than a stranger.

“I will have to see if he wants to do it, but that’s a good suggestion.”

Azula made a similar suggestion to Chief Arnook about Yue. “It would give her a chance to travel, see the world she had been guarding close up and meet people. It sounds like she could use some space. From what I gather, the suitors are starting to pile up.”

Arnook growled. “I might need to get her a club to beat them away.”

Azula then pitched the idea to Sokka and Yue themselves, suggesting this could be a way to travel together and get paid to do it.

They had that twinkle in their eye. They were just about sold on the idea when a drunken Hahn approached.

“How could you pick this peasant over me?” Hahn growled pointing at Sokka.  “I am not a peasant,” Sokka growled. “And why would she want a drunken jerk who what was it, only wanted to marry her for the perks?”

 “You sack of ….” Hahn’s fists came up but before he could get a blow in, Azula had snapped her fingers. The guards came and hauled Hahn out of there.

 “I can’t have a future ambassador getting into a fist fight, especially not in front of the world’s royalty.”

Sokka shook his head. “I shouldn’t have lost my temper, but he’s just such a jerk.”  
 “You weren’t the one who was engaged to him.”

“Even worse,” Azula said. “Zhao wanted to marry me.”

 “EW!” they both cringed.

And speaking of failed courtships, Chan approached her. “I got grounded for a month becuase of you, and why didn’t you tell me you were the Crown Princess.” 

“You’re an admiral’s son and you can’t recognize the Crown Princess?” Azula questioned. “and you deserved any punishment your father gave you. You got grounded at your age. Congratulations on being a man-child.”

 Chan stomped off in a huff.   

“Who was that?” Aang asked as he approached her, wary of the guy who had been hostile with his girlfriend  “Some jerk from Ember Island. He’s not worth remembering.”

“Let me know if he bothers you again.” Aang put his arms around her protectively.

Azula turned around and kissed him. “I like it when you’re aggressive.”

***

Sokka and Yue went to her bedroom for the night and on their way there they ran into a Kyoshi Warrior.

 “Sokka, follow me,” Rai said, pulling him down the hallway. Yue followed him.

 “What’s going on?” he hissed.

“Not here.”

 They moved through the maze of corridors until they got to a different part of the palace. Finally, she explained. “Suki is wasted right now, and she was rambling about what she would do when she saw you next. I didn’t want you to run into her, so I took you this way.” Suki was Rai’s girl, but Rai was worried about her erratic behavior.

 “Thanks, Rai.”

 “I hope she feels better soon,” Yue said as they disappeared.  Sokka just got the door closed and locked before he heard Suki’s drunken rambling.

 “She still doesn’t know which room is yours,” Sokka said quietly as they moved away from the door.


	51. Have Me

Katara and Toph went to bed. This would be their last night together for the foreseeable future.

Toph took off her dress. She was never very bashful about being dressed because she couldn’t see herself anyway. Nudity never meant anything to her. 

 Katara, on the other hand, couldn’t help but stare. The small earthbender had a nice physique, strong arms and legs and a flat stomach. She was still growing, as she was only twelve, but she had a nice bone structure. She would be more shapely as she matured. 

 Katara started to get ready for bed. She took off her dress and went to put on her pajamas when she felt rough hands cup her face and soft lips pressing to hers.

They zigzaged across the room to the bed, trying not to break the kiss or fall over on the way. Toph fell backwards, pulling the waterbender on top of her. Toph had a firm but gentle grip on Katara, their naked bodies pressed together as the kiss deepened.   Katara left an ice cold kiss on Toph’s neck making her shill. She had also paid attention to the sex chapter in Kalypso’s book.

  “Did that hurt?” the waterbender was surprised.

 “No, it just surprised me. I liked it.”  
Katara left more cold kisses on the earthbender’s neck and throat. The kisses got progressively warmer as the frost on her lips wore off. She reached Toph’s chest and kissed her all over, eliciting moans and gasps from the younger girl.

 “OH DON’T STOP.” 

Katara continued her kissing assault, moving down the girls body until she reached her inner thighs. Katara could feel the heat radiating from her core and got close without actually touching her there.

 “Are you sure?” Katara whispered in her ear, not wanting to rush the girl.

“Yes,” she gasped throatily.   

The waterbender gently traced a finger along her lips, getting Toph to hiss and curse. She was very tight, so Katara only put the first knuckle of her hand inside. As it turned out, she can waterbend with just one finger.

 “OH FUCK! OOOHHHH!” The girl moaned and growled as Katara pleased her from deep within. This was her first time touching a girl other than herself, so she didn’t really think about teasing her or building up to it. She just wanted to get Toph over the edge, and it was working.

The young earthbender found herself heaving, out of breath and on the edge of something intense. She shrieked and started spasming, her first orgasm ripping through her as she pulsated on the bed. Katara kept going until Toph growled, signalling that she was done.

 “How was it?” Katara asked as she kissed her girlfriend’s face.

“Ugh!” Toph groaned. She felt amazing, but she had no idea how to do that to someone else. “I don’t know how to do that to you,” Toph admitted.  Katara kissed her lips sweetly. “Let me show you.”

***

Aang ran through the hallway with Azula in his arms. She had whispered, “have me,” into his ear while they were at the party and that’s all he needed to hear.

He got to her room in record time and once they were inside, he locked the door. He threw her towards the bed, using his airbending to make sure her landing was gentle. 

The Princess quickly untied her dress as Aang took off his robes. With a flick of his wrist, the candles around her room were all burning. They surrounded her bed all the time, since they often needed mood lighting. 

 He burned through her binding, tossing the scraps aside. He sucked a nipple into his mouth greedily and pinched the other one. 

“OH AANG FUCK!” she cried out as her back arched for him. 

 The airbender had fun exploring her body, looking for the spots that would make her cry out in pleasure. Some were easy to guess, like her breasts and inner thighs, but he was looking for the hidden spots too, like the area in between her neck and her shoulder that makes her flinch when he nips her there.

As he worked his way down her tender flesh, he could smell her heat and he wanted to dive right in.

He, however, decided to slow it down. He wanted her for as long as possible, which meant not running too fast through the gate. He covered her thighs and calves in kisses just to work his way back to her lips, his fingertips roaming her body like litlte hot pokers. 

“Have me,” she hissed as he broke the kiss to nip on her neck.

He smirked and started to kiss his way down her body to her lower lips. He traced her velvety folds with his fingertips and then using his waterbending, made his fingers cold before shoving one of them into her.

 “OH FUCK!” she hissed as he pumped in and out, curling his finger forward and rubbing her g-spot as he went. He loved hearing the moans and cries that would escape her lips as he touched her. He quickly added a second finger and got her to the edge of an orgasm before he abruptly withdrew, causing her to groan.

 “Not yet,” he said to his increasingly impatient girlfriend, “but don’t worry, it will be well worth it.”

***

Suki was exhausted. She just kept switching from angry to depressed, and now she was sick of feeling anything. She just wanted to forget ever meeting Sokka at all. She was on her way to bed when she bumped into Haru.  “Sorry, I didn’t see you there,” he said as he picked her back up. He took a look at her. It sucked seeing her so sad. She had been a lot of fun before.

 “I wasn’t looking either,” she admitted as she looked at him. He was pretty cute.

“Did you want to go outside? I could use some fresh air.”

Suki nodded and they went outside. They walked through the gardens. She didn’t say much. Haru tried to keep the mood light by telling stories, mostly about Jet and how he strikes out with women like every day.  “I hope I’m not boring you,” he said.

 “No. You’re funny, it’s just, I feel like crud right now.”

 “I have an idea,” he said. “Close your eyes.”

 She did and he kissed her softly, cupping her face as he leaned in close.

The Kyoshi warrior grabbed his hair, pulling him to her as their lips mangled and their arms wrapped around each other. They became a tangled mess that fell off the bench and onto the grass below. 

***

Mai was surprised that she found it to be much easier to touch Ty Lee than to let her girlfriend touch her. Being in control took away a lot of her anxiety and the acrobat seemed to like whatever Mai was doing. 

She leaned over, sucking a nipple into her mouth and she gently bit down.   “OH MAI!” the girl shrilled, arching her back for more contact. The knife-thrower tugged gently, and started pinching the other nipple before giving it a gentle twist.

“OOOOHHHH! HAVE ME!” The aura reader spread her legs, desperate for Mai’s touch. 

There was something very satisfying about being begged. I’ll be sure to keep her begging.

Mai smirked as she slowly kissed her way down her girlfriend’s defined stomach. She kissed her along her hip bone and down her thighs. She hummed to herself as she teased Ty Lee’s smooth skin.  The aura reader was growing agitated. “MAI PLEASE!”

 “Please what Baby?”

 “FUCK ME!”

Mai licked her lips and then began teasing her with her finger. “You’re so wet.” The girl was pretty much sopping. The assassin’s finger slipped in quickly. “Is this what you want?”

 “More!”

 Mai added a second finger and started to work. She was smooth and hot on the inside. Watching Ty Lee moan and squirm was quite delightful.

She kept going, kissing and sucking on her neck as she pumped her fingers in and out. “You like this, don’t you?”

“OH!”

It seemed like seconds to Mai, but it felt like hours for Ty Lee before the acrobat started gushing.   “Are you satisfied?” Mai asked haughtily.  “I want more.” Ty Lee hoped this was just the beginning for tonight.

“What do you want?”

“To ride you.”

“Show me.”

 Ty Lee straddled her girlfriend, their cores pressed together as the acrobat steadied herself. She began to grind her hips. Their clitorises rubbing together as throaty moans escaped both of their mouths.

 The acrobat was a work of art, her body amazing and her sexual prowress incredible. This wasn’t the first time Mai had seen her naked, far from it, but the angle gave her a new appreciation for her lover.

***

Azula found herself flustered and annoyed that Aang was using her as a play toy. Each kiss and caress told her that he knew how to touch her, he was just denying her the pleasure her body was desperately craving. She refused to let him win and instead of begging, decided to let him know what it was like.

 She crawled up to him on all fours and sucked him into her mouth, gently teasing the head with her tongue and using her hands to stroke him.

 “OH FUCK!” he growled as she bobbed her head up and down, using her mouth and hands to fully explore his shaft.   He hissed and moaned as she she massaged his balls in one hand and stroked him with the other, her tongue teasing the sensitive vein that ran on the underside of his shaft.

He was salty and a bit fruity, likely do to his fixation on fruit tarts and his hands ran through her hair as she moved back and forth, messing up her normally neat topknot.

 “I’m going to cum,” he warned her, but she withdrew from him, leaving him unattended.

 “Why rush?” she said with a smirk. 

 He scowled. Nicely played.

She waited a couple minutes for his heart rate to slow back down to normal and then unrolled a condom on him. “I’m done with the teasing if you are,” she whispered into his ear.  His hands grabbed her hips and guided her on him, filling her quickly as his hips raised to meet hers.  She locked her legs around him and began to grind her hips back and forth. Moans and grunts bounced off the walls of the room. Grey eyes met gold as Aang pulled Azula into a bruising kiss. The lovers were desperate, biting each other’s lips and clawing at each other as they drove their hips hard and fast. He used his airbending to flip her over, and grabbed onto her hips, holding them as he thrusted faster and deeper into her. 

“OH AANG FUCK!” Azula locked her legs around him, trying to keep him deep inside her as he moved in and out. The avatar pinned her ankles up so that they were on her shoulders, leaving her defenseless as he had his way with her. “I’m so close,” she hissed at him.

 He grabbed her hips, holding down her ankles with his shoulders and started giving her slow, deep thrusts. She finally went over the edge and shrieked loudly as she came hard. The candles in the room burned a fiery blue and were about to melt into puddles as her orgasm overtook her. The airbender slowed down as she caught her breath and once she started to relax, he went back to pounding her, thrusting aggressively until he was done.

He lay on top of her, sweat dripping bodies pressed together as he buried his head in her neck.

 “I want more,” he growled against her skin.  

“Then take it.”


End file.
